


(Don't) Speak To Me

by talkativefangirl13



Category: X-Men (Movieverse), X-Men - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, M/M, Miscommunication, Pining, Slow Burn, Soulmates, Words, because Scott's dense and Logan's emotionally constipated
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-04
Updated: 2020-11-09
Packaged: 2021-03-06 22:48:38
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 28,505
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26286730
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/talkativefangirl13/pseuds/talkativefangirl13
Summary: Changing the past meant that Logan had also changed his own future, inevitably tying him up with someone he realized he had liked after his death. Does Logan know this? No, but once he wakes up in the future, he will.orWhen Logan went back to change the future, he somehow ended up unintentionally giving himself a soulmate. Meanwhile, the Logan living through the middle of 1985 up to 2023, decided that not talking to Scott was the best course of action.
Relationships: Jean Grey & Scott Summers, Jean Grey/Scott Summers, Logan (X-Men)/Scott Summers
Comments: 60
Kudos: 155





	1. Can't Speak

**Author's Note:**

> Long note ahead:
> 
> Okay, we're complete forgetting that Dark Phoenix even existed, because the ending of that monstrosity and the ending of DOFP has no connections whatsoever, besides DOFP has the perfect ending. Also Apocalypse happened here so, yeah (Ikr ew).
> 
> I also decided to put a few comic elements in the story (Because god fuckin' damnit, why is mystique an x-men? And why is Warren dead? I still have alist but I'm too tired to point it out) , not too much per se, if I somehow gone way too overboard, the story would end up in shambles.
> 
> In my take of this soulmate AU first words shmuck, anything that was said to you from your soulmate or heard anything ABOUT you from your soulmate is counted. 
> 
> Words are written at any part of their body, it turns grey once the words are said, but remains black if not. Words are private but not TOO private. It's like wearing skimpy outfits, some people don't want to, while others do. It just depends on the person if they want to hide the words or not. 
> 
> Anyway, posting this story is VERY dangerous... well to me that is. I'm still in the middle of plotting the timeline and I don't even know if 7 chapters is enough or too much, but I just winged it and decided that I can change it in the future anyway.
> 
> As always, prepare for a bunch of grammatical errors because English is not my first language and writing stories is just my hobby.

First words _to_ you or _about_ you that you heard. That’s how it works.

It’s like having green eye color, rare but not too rare to be given special treatment. Having soulmates wasn’t an uncommon anomaly, and because of its low percentage, mutants who are already low in population rarely had the chance of having one.

It was the year nineteen seventy-five where a certain event could change the future and alter the mutant’s fate. 

Just because he could heal, doesn’t mean it stopped hurting. As Logan was thrown away and towards the water by Erik, he could feel the painful pull of those thick metal rods through his body, it’s like having adamantium as his bones all over again. He fell down into the body of water with such force that it felt like his whole skin had been slapped, it didn’t help that his lungs were punctured and he can’t breathe well as his body went down deeper into darkness.

The pressure was becoming stronger as he neared the bottom, everything hurts, he can’t breathe, he can’t die. Logan fucking hate drowning. He was on the verge of passing out when neat written words started to form on the jut of his hi, just below the bone.

Somewhere in Alaska, a brunette kid was in the middle of playing with his toy airplane when words started to form on his skin, curling around his right wrist. The handwriting was sloppy and he obviously knew it was from a guy, being a six year old who doesn’t know what it meant, his reaction was to call for his parents and cry. 

Changing the past meant that Logan had also changed his own future, inevitably tying him up with someone he realized he had liked after his death. Does Logan know this? No, but once he wakes up in the future, he will.

* * *

He doesn’t know where he came, who were his family, why was he here? Trapped in a cage being treated like a fucking lab rat. But maybe he was, he know this metal claws weren’t here before, he knew his body wasn’t this heavy. He doesn’t know himself, and his past was completely erased, but that doesn’t mean he didn’t knew he changed.

He didn’t want this change, he hates it because it hurts. The words curled around his hip was the only thing that comforted him through this hard time, it probably sounded stupid because the words itself doesn’t sound too nice, but there must be at least one reason why it’s there.

 _Soulmates_.

The word suddenly rang inside his head, surfacing into the fore front of his brain like a memory presenting itself in front of him.

Wires and a metal helmet was drilled deep in his skin and skull, pulling it off felt like removing his own head, he knew he could heal, but to what extent? What if removing his head would only make him forget everything once he’s back? He had enough of his memories thank you fucking much.

He didn’t know how long he was trapped in that cage, was it days? Months? Years? He didn’t know, and he didn’t want to know. Being confined in a small room doesn’t give him the luxury to be aware of the time, he just wanted to get out and kill those motherfuckers that did this to him.

Making him into some sort of killing machine, a monster.

He didn’t know when it started, but noises where suddenly heard outside, the next thing he knew, his cage was opened by some unseen force. He knew a chance when it was given, so he took it without remorse, he didn’t think twice on what he was about to do next. Maybe he really was a monster to feel this satisfied and fuelled up whenever his claws dug deep into human flesh, but he didn’t care.

His senses told him where the exit was, he was about to leave the place when three little fucker somehow made a wrong turn and found themselves with him. 

The only thing that stopped him from attacking them was because of this long red haired girl, helping him remember a certain memory that was deeply forgotten at the back of his head.

 _Logan_.

That was his name, maybe it wasn’t, and maybe it was never his, but that’s what he like to call himself and starting now, that’s his name. Logan didn’t attack them, that’s the least he could do, but he hella wanted to leave this place and be as far as he could get. After removing all those machinery off of him, Logan turned and ran, but a certain sentence made him stop and stand still in the middle of the snow.

_“I hope that’s the last we’ve seen of that guy,”_

Logan knew those words, he spent years reading that over and over again on his skin. Turning around he glared at the three strangers that were still standing at the entryway, they all took a step back from the sudden movement he made, uncertain on what to do next.

 _Who was it? Who said those words?_ Logan needed to know. He took a step closer causing for the other three to take another step back.

“Uhh, Jean?” The boy that was wearing a pair of red glasses said, his voice sounded alarmed while his right hand went straight to his shades.

_It’s him, he said it._ Logan realized. Looking closer, skinny and still have a few baby fats filling his cheeks, wearing clothes that seemed so out of place in a building like this, looking so immature and inexperienced from this line of work. _A fucking kid said it_. Naïve, all three of them, that’s what they are. Children who don’t know what they’re doing and just winging everything. 

That’s all it took for Logan to start running away, not to leave this wretched place, but for a different purpose entirely. Meanwhile, sixteen and confused, Scott thought that the beating of his heart was because of fear and nothing more.

“Vat vas that all avout?” Kurt asked as soon as the man was out of view.

“I don’t know,” was Scott’s answer, “Here’s to wishing it won’t be a problem for us,” he added before turning around to return on searching for Hank the others, and because of the adrenaline, he was unable to notice the burn on his arm, the one covering his wristband.

* * *

A year had passed after Apocalypse, and a lot had change within those time. After losing Alex, it didn’t take long before his father turned out missing along with his mother. Grieving was normal, he lost people that he cared about, but that’s the life of being like this, you have to suck it up and move on, try to be alive in a world where even if mutants like them are accepted, fear will always be there.

Scott did his best to train, always burning the midnight oil to get better while keeping up with his studies, to the point that it felt like it’s nothing more but a routine. Continues training and studying, went on for months, he became always on point when it comes to the rules, somehow finding himself turning into a goody-two shoe.

_Control._

That’s what he needs, especially with a mutation like his, optic beams that could punch through a mountain, he can’t get reckless. He can never get reckless. And maybe wanting to be in control changed him, drastically, and perhaps that’s what it’s supposed to be, someone got to be the mature one here.

Someone got to be the boring one (Peter’s words), and it’s not like Scott minded it, he didn’t find it hard, it somehow felt easy to be one.

“Training again?” Peter told him one afternoon, “That’s like, what, the third time this day? Dude, it’s the weekend, get a life.”

“This is my life, I’m currently living it,” Scott answered. 

“Ew, dude what happened to you?”

“I lost my family, that’s what happened,” he replied bluntly, and maybe that’s supposed to be a sensitive topic, although it doesn’t feel like it, “And I’m avoiding to turn out like your dad.”

Peter groaned, “C’mon men, not this again. Stop bringing that guy up,” he complained, “Repression doesn’t mean you have to train your butt off every day.”

Scott ignored Peter’s last comment and instead said, “Everyone knows about it except him, might as well grow a pair soon and tell him before you turn out late again,” then leaving it as that, not wanting to continue this conversation any longer. Everyone has their own issues to handle, and that’s their own to fix.

It didn’t take long before the Professor started to notice Scott’s efforts for the team, he started having one on one trainings with the adults and later found that his love for tactical games can actually be helpful in real life situations. Within a year or so, Scott had earned to be Raven’s right hand on every heavy mission along with planning their attack.

Although Scott’s investment for the X-men became fruitful, his reputation in school had somewhat turned out to be the complete opposite. But he didn’t mind, he got his friends even though he’s somewhat always the killjoy. He’s grateful for what he have.

Scott was seventeen and eight months old when he was finally given his first ever solo mission, the Professor told him that if he succeeded on this one, then they might discuss his position in the team. Determined to accomplish this mission, Scott packed his things that were enough to last a week before continuing his journey to the Canadian Rockies in Alberta.

His mission was to find a man with a missing past and bring him to the Professor. Scott don’t have that many resources about the guy’s whereabouts, considering that he have no memories, finding that person by name was irrelevant. The only clue he have about this guy was that he have bones as claws.

Whoever this person was, the Professor seemed very adamant to find him and thought that Scott was best suitable for the job. And Scott has no plans of disappointing him.

He had a plan, the minute he arrived, Scott rented a motel not far from his destination and planned out how he would find the guy. Being that he’s a mutant and no memories of anything, he’ll be doing anything to be able to blend into the crowd, using a very common name as to not attract attention.

Not wanting to waste any time, Scott headed out to gather suspicious news around the area while listing a few names on the top of his head for further inspection.

Four days in and he got nothing but an odd story about a caveman in the mountains. If the stories where true and the person Scott was looking for had been that guy, then so much for blending into the crowd. Bringing a few of his gears, Scott decided to take a hike.

He later found himself wandering deeper into the woods when he heard a rustle from a few feet to his right, Scott was too late to fire a blast when a dark figure attacked him and pinned him to the ground, three metal claws were pointed threateningly at his face.

Metal claws.

No, this wasn’t the person, Scott’s guy was someone who have bones as his claws. And just like a slap, a memory of a guy killing everyone in Stryker’s base resurfaced. What are the odds of meeting him again?

Strangely, the other man stared at him with furrowed eyebrows, as if trying to remember something before retracting back his claws and immediately standing up to release him. Face still confused but close to coming into terms of something.

Sitting up slowly, Scott raised both his hands as if surrendering, “Do you remember me?” he asked, testing, the other man’s head jerked and both eyes narrowed down on him, “We’ve met a year ago, we helped you escape, do you remember any of that?”

Nothing, the other guys said nothing, instead, he started taking a few steps back before breaking into a run, leaving Scott all alone. Replaying the event earlier inside his head, Scott was sure the guy remembered him the minute he retracted his claws. He knew that look of familiarity when he sees one.

He remembered not liking that guy back then, but that was because of fear. However, now, he wondered why his heart was beating too fast. He should check his blood pressure as soon as he get back from this mission. Stretching his back, Scott checked the time and decided that he should probably start heading back for lunch.

* * *

Since the Canadian Rockies have a bunch of tourist’s spots, finding a budgeted place to eat was hard that reaches Scott’s standards, and besides, he’s not familiar with the place yet to have enough knowledge on which place he should go. Scott found himself finding a diner a bit farther than expected.

His budget’s already finishing out and he didn’t want to ask the Professor for more, this’ll have to do.

Scott just managed to order his food when a very familiar man entered the door, taking as everyone’s attention like some sort of beacon. As if unable to notice it, the guy ignored everyone’s stares and went on to find an empty table. _Him again_ , it hadn’t been a few hours since he last saw him.

Scott would lie if they didn’t locked eyes, although he managed to play it off as not due to his shades. Oddly, the man took the empty table just beside him. Scott didn’t want to think it was intentional, but he wasn’t _that_ dense not notice the older man watching him closely.

Just because mutants are publicly known, that doesn’t mean danger was no longer there. And currently, he can’t trust this guy, he can’t trust anyone in this place, _yet_.

Scott ignored him the whole time he was eating, not forgetting to feel the surroundings around him for any odd behaviour. People would think he was being over the top, but no one can be sure what danger lies ahead, it’s better to be prepared than not.

The other guy didn’t do anything but drink a couple of coffee as if waiting for Scott to finish. Alarm bells are ringing louderr. 

_Who is this guy?_

Finishing up, Scott paid for the food and thanked the waitress before heading towards the the door, it didn’t surprise him when the older man followed him out. Ever since they met, the guy was acting very suspicious and not worth ignoring anymore. Scott did his best to lose the guy, but either he had put a tracker on him or he’s just that good at tracking people because just can’t lose him on his tail.

Scott took a cab in hopes of finally being able to keep away. After a few distance between them, Scott stepped out, paid for the ride, decided to continue search and forget about that mysterious man. 

He managed not to gather anything, this’ll be his the fourth day in his first solo mission and he’s nowhere near the next step. Frustration’s about to eat him up if the week finished with him empty handed. Scott was about enter his motel room when he found three strangers loitering just outside his door. Wearing leather jackets along with dark tattoos covering most of their skin, piercings that would put Magneto in advantage.

He was supposed to ignore them as he slipped his hand to take out his keys when a firm calloused hand grab a hold of his shoulder.

“Yeh that mutie who live here?” he asked. As much as Scott was trying to make himself low profile here, wearing shades indoors and at night can really ask for attention. Obviously, he’s not blind with a staff.

Turning, Scott noticed how all three of them where now standing around as if to threaten him. As much as possible, Scott didn’t want his mission to cause any casualties, “Do we have a problem here?” he asked, voice levelled and not asking for a fight.

“Nothing really, we just wanna talk, tha’ good with you? Yeah?” he asked, showing a toothy grin, he have one silver tooth along with all of his yellow teeth. Scott tried his best not to advise him to brush his teeth.

“We can talk here,” Scott suggested.

“We like it more privately,” he added, seeming very adamant to pull Scott away from the building.

Looking around, there’s no one to help him, not wanting to cuase any public damage, Scott nodded and followed them. That’s how he later found himself alone in the woods, curled on the ground as three types of foot kick and stomp on him. There are no broken bones, yet, and he didn’t think he could handle any more of this for a bit longer.

He should’ve contemplated more if he could handle all three of them, in hindsight, he can but that is if he’s using his mutation and if he’s planning for permanent damage. Obviously, he didn’t want any of that, the Professor said low profile, and that’s what he’s doing, was it?

“Fuckin’ mutie!” One yelled and somehow found a way to give one ferocious kick on his gut that Scott managed not to cover, “Go back te where yeh came from!” he added before spiting thick saliva on him.

 _Damn it_ Scott thought while trying to grab a hold of his bearings, _I’m still getting a hang of first-aid_. He’s pretty sure he’ll have a few bruise here and there, if lucky, no broken ribs.

What happened next was too quick for his beaten up head to comprehend. One moment he was feeling kick after kick then the next, there was nothing but grunts and screams. Vision blurry, Scott felt himself being pulled up in a sitting position until he felt himself leaning on a rock, a hand waving in front of his face. When he didn’t respond, two hands were suddenly trying to remove his shades.

“No!” Scott immediately screamed, grabbing a hold of his shades. The person only held up his hand as if to show he’s not planning to continue. Taking a few breath, Scott look closely and realized the person who saved him the guy who was following him this morning, “Hi,” he found himself dumbly saying.

The older man didn’t say anything but only arched an eyebrow at him.

Looking around, Scott saw three unconscious bodies lying on the ground, “They’re not dead, right?” he asked, he got his answer when one guy groaned out in pain. Looking back, he found that the older man was still looking at him, “Thank you,” Scott found himself saying, “How did you know I was—ah!” he yelped when a hand was suddenly splayed on top of his lower chest

Yeah, there’s definitely either a bruise or a broken bone there.

The guy looked up at him as if waiting for something and Scott realized he need to take a deep breath, so he did. The quick quirk of the guy’s eyebrow told Scott it’s just a simple bruising.

“Can you talk?” Scott asked because as far as he know, he’s the only one trying to converse here. When the older man didn’t said anything, he took that answer as a no, “Do you have a name? Can you write it down on… well, carve it on the ground?” he asked, but again, the older man did nothing and said nothing.

Without any hint, the guy suddenly stood up and turned around before crouching down again, presenting his back to Scott, it took him a moment to understand what the gesture meant and Scott could feel his face heating up, “You don’t have to do that, I can walk,” he told him.

The guy turned and gave him a look.

“You don’t have to carry me, I can—Ow! That—This also could work,” Scott said when the guy stood up and hauled him off the ground before grabbing one of his arm to wrap on his shoulder. Scott found himself leaning most of his weight on this stranger’s side.

As they walk their way out of the woods, Scott heard a low tinkle of metal, like some sort of dog tag. Turning his head, Scott found a pair of dog tags wrapped around the other mutant’s neck, looking closely there where two names engraved on it, it took him a moment to read what it said, _Logan_ and Wolverine.

Scott’s pretty sure Wolverine was his alias name.

“My name’s Scott, Scott Summers,” he informed the older man who said nothing but gave him a side glance before using his free hand to tuck the dog tags inside his shirt.

Scott didn’t know if Logan intentionally made Scott see the dog tags or not, but he didn’t mind. He later found himself getting poorly patched up by Logan in his motel room because the guy doesn’t seem to know how to do a simple first aid. Scott mostly found himself telling Logan what he should do next.

“No smoking in this room,” Scott said when he noticed Logan pulling out a lighter from his pocket, the older man only shoot him a glare but placed his lighter back in his pocket.

In all honesty, Scott have no idea how things happened, just this morning the guy was threatening to slice him open then now, he’s here in his room, acting like this was his place. What’s strange, Scott found that he didn’t mind, which completely contradicts the fact that he was just suspicious of the guy a few hours earlier.

“Do you want to come with me?” and maybe he hit his head somewhere because why would he ask a complete stranger like this a question like that? So he floundered for something out, trying to make sound less weird, “I live in a school for mutants, we could appreciate to have a guy like you around,” when Logan only gave him a blank look, Scott added, “Just nod, or you can shake your head if you don’t want to.”

The longer Logan stared at him like that, the more Scott wondered if he shouldn’t have asked the question. He found himself scratching a finger over his forehead just to avoid the older man’s eyes. The guy had been staring at him for an unhealthy amount of time, and it’s starting to make him feel odd. 

Was Logan’s way of communication is to stare at people? Scott’s pretty sure it’s not going well.

At the corner of his field of vision, the was a sliver of movement that came from Logan, Scott’s head snapped up and turned, “Was that a nod?” he asked, Logan nodded, again, and Scott didn’t exactly know what to react. This was his first ever solo mission, and somehow managed to recruit someone. 

And he’s barely eighteen.

“Great,” Scott said, forcing himself to say something, “I’ll contact the mansion and inform them about this,” he told him before searching for his phone that he can’t find anywhere, “Where did I— thanks,” Scott thanked when Logan gave him his phone with a low grunt.

Taking a deep breath, Scott stood up from the bed and went outside to make the call, not aware that Logan can hear it nonetheless.

It rang, once, twice before Hank came answering it with a few coughs escaping his mouth, Scott assumed that the mutant was in the middle of experimenting again, “Hello?”

“Beast,” Scott started, “It’s me, Cyclops,”

“Ah,” Hank said, “Everything all right there?”

“Yeah, I’m fine,” he responded as if he was wired to do so, “Listen, I found someone here, probably not the person who I was supposed to find, but the Professor did say there’s only one mutant around this area. This is the only guy so far who has claws as his mutation.”

“How do know it’s not him?” 

“Well,” Scott have no idea who was he searching for in the first place, but they were pretty sure the guy has bones as his claws, and doesn’t have any speech predicament, “He have metal, not bones, and he can’t talk.”

Somehow, even at the other end of the line, Scott felt Hank’s sudden interest, “Was there any animalistic behaviour?” he asked, in other words, he’s asking Logan’s feral.

Scott gave it a thought, “There was a short instance where he attacked me while I was in the woods, I assumed it has something to do being territorial, but other than that, no. He seems very functional.”

“How did you managed to keep him close?”

Looking back in his room, through the window, he found Logan staring on the floor, as if his attention was somewhere else, “I don’t have to, he’s just always there ever since I found him.”

* * *

The travel back was rather uneventful, other than his lack of ability to speak, Logan seemed like any other person, that is if you look past his habitual growling to any person who gave them a second glance (looking back, it seemed more like Scott was the one receiving judging stares, it’s best to ignore it). 

The annoyed look that the older man seemed to try hiding whenever Scott suggested something he obviously didn’t like, told Scott that if ever Logan decided to stay and made it to the team, this’ll be a big problem. And no, he didn’t think the lack of communication would be a hindrance.

The minute they managed to arrive in school, Scott didn’t waste any more time for detour and brought Logan straight to Hank. Ignoring the looks the older man kept of giving him as they head down the sublevels.

“You remember me saying that this is a school right?” Scott asked, and without waiting for any reply, he continued, “I’m serious about it, some students are way younger than me and I think it’s better if you don’t scare them off first.”

Logan gave him a look, like Scott’s acting strange and his little explanation wasn’t necessary.

Scott gave Hank’s door three knocks and waited for his signal to enter, there was a faint call from the inside that Logan heard first and was already opening the door before Scott could decipher what it was. Logan stepped inside the room without wary while Scott stumbled inside, surprised because Logan had pulled him in by the elbow.

Hank glanced up from his work and stiffened.

“Hank, this is the person I’ve informed you about,” he told him as soon as he felt Logan giving off territorial vibes, Scott ignored the nagging question of _what_ is Logan being territorial about, “Logan, this is Hank, he’ll be checking your vitals, be _nice_ ,”

Logan turned and gave Scott a narrowed glare before huffing out a breath as if to say that he can’t believe this kid just said that to him.

Across the room, Hank fixed his coat and cleared his throat, “Scott, did you already informed the Professor about this?”

“I’m planning to after I leave Logan here— Wha— I’ll be back,” Scott immediately reassured the older guy who was now openly glaring at him. 

If his hunch was right, Logan doesn’t like being near someone who looked like a threat to him, with Hank’s current blue form, it’s understandable for Logan to think that way.

When Scott left, he tried to ignore Logan’s lingering stare.

* * *

“Wait,” Scott started after a moment of silence right after the Professor finished talking, “What do you mean successful? Logan was the person I’m supposed to find?”

“Well, I don’t have to repeat myself and say, yes, the mission _is_ successful, Scott, and Logan _is_ the person you’re supposed to bring back,” Charles said before letting out a faint laugh. The frozen look on Scott’s face killed the mood he was trying to lighten up, “Aren’t you supposed to be delighted that things went positive by the end?”

“I am,” he said that doesn’t sound anywhere near pleased, “You didn’t tell me he can’t talk.”

This caused Charles’s press down into a thin line, “Well, inevitable things must’ve already happened to him,” he said, something told Scott that it’s better not asking what it was because of the look the Professors has on his face, “Terrible things that are bound to happen.”

“I understand,” 

And just like a switch flipping, the Professor’s eyes twinkled and rested his chin on his intertwined fingers, “Now, since you’ve managed to complete your first mission alone, I think it’s time to discuss about your leadership skills.”

Scott’s head snapped up, “Excuse me?”

Charles’s smile widen, “How do you feel on becoming the leader of the X-Men?”

Scott exited the Professor’s office with a faraway look on his face, not really sure on what he should be feeling right now. Him? A leader? He’s only seventeen and been only into one mission alone, leading one is different story. Will he be able to be up to the task? What if he mess up? There are a lot more people qualified for the task.

“Scott!” A very familiar voice called from the side that gave Scott a few short moments to realize that Jubilee’s about to tackle him as a form of greeting.

He was too late to dodge it.

“Why do you have to do that? A simple hi could’ve gotten my attention,” Scott told her the nth time this month, feeling thin arms curl tighter on his waist.

“It’s called affection, look it up Summers,” Jubilee deadpanned before letting him go.

A woosh of air indicated the two that Peter just arrived, “Stop trying Jubes, he’s an apathetic shit,” he said while sucking on a lollipop with his hand on the back of his head as they walk.

“I am not,” Scott defended.

“How do you even know that word?” Jean asked from behind along with Ororo, jogging up to them before slinging an arm around Scott, “Didn’t you stopped studying since preschool?”

“He’s keeping a dictionary around him,” Ororo suggested with a whisper, “I’ve seen it.”

“Last I check we’re supposed to be mocking Summers, why am I the one getting sandwich here?”

Jubilee’s face scrunched up, “Wrong metaphor, Peter,”

“Hey, I should remind all of you that I have ten years more experience than any of you, you guys should be grovelling down on my feet,” he stated.

“Isn’t it supposed to be depressing that you’re hanging out with people who are a decade younger than you?” Ororo asked with a quirk of her head, her white locks brushed against Scott's face that made him feel itchy.

“I like to be optimistic.” Peter said with a shrug before a puff of smoke showed up in front that caused him to cough up furiously, “Kurt, not fucking cool!”

“Sorry,” he squeaked, before noticing Scott standing silently as the group chatter around him, “Scott, yer vack!”

“I am,” Scott answered with a light nod, “Where there any written homeworks that I need to finish while I was gone?”

“Oh my god, Scott, it’s Saturday you over achieving boy scout,” Peter reminded him, “Take a break,”

“I’ll lend you my notes,” Jean told him instead, “How’s the mission by the way?”

“Uh…” Scott said wondering how he should start, unconsciously rubbing his wrist band, the one that hides his words, “It went well, I managed to find the guy I’m supposed to find, he’s currently getting examined by Hank down the sublevels,” which reminds him, he had to pick Logan up later.

“Congratulations, he hot or what?” Jubilee asked, elbowing him on the side, Scott rubbed at it due to the slight discomfort.

He took a moment to think, “Maybe? That is if you have a thing for angry brooding buff guys that smells of alcohol and cigarettes.”

“Whatever, he probably has more sex appeal than you could ever have in your teen years,”

Scott’s face scrunched in confusion, “What did I do now?”

“Nothing, you just ruined Jubes fantasy of seeing a hot guy for once,” Ororo said.

“Dude I’m a fucking bachelor here,” Peter piped up, “It’s a free real estate.”

Jubilee gave Peter a once over and grimaced, “Hard pass, and I’m underage.”

Jean rolled her eyes before turning to look at Scott again, “What did the Professor told you? You were kinda spacing out for a little while earlier.”

Scott shrugged, “It’s nothing, I’m fine.”

“Scott the last time you said that, your arm was broken and you vomited because of whiplash,” Jean reminded him of that one certain mission where Peter grabbed Scott by the hand instead of his head when they travelled.

Scott let out a sigh, “I just think the Professor chose the wrong person for the proposition,” he said earning a few of his friends’ attention.

“Vhat kind?” Kurt asked with a tip of his head.

“Leading the X-Men once Raven stepped down.” 

Instant silence fell onto the group.

“Say what?” Peter spluttered.

* * *

“I’m back,” Scott announced, popping his head inside Hank’s lab and immediately zeroing on Logan who was brooding at the corner of the room, “Everything okay?”

“Everything’s fine,” Hank answered him while pushing his glasses back up his face, “Let’s discuss later.

Scott nodded and went straight towards Logan who was already looking up at him, “Come on, I’ll show you to your room,” he said. With a grunt, Logan stood up and went out first, leaving Scott standing inside with a face like a surprised codfish, “He’s personality’s starting to irritate me,” he told Hank.

The blue mutant shrugged, “He did save you back then, though,”

“That, he did,” Scott agreed not realizing that he didn’t tell that story to Hank before stepping out of the room and finding Logan waiting by the elevator, “The Professor would like to meet you tomorrow, is that okay with you?”

Logan gave him a look of disapproval.

“I’m sorry but you can’t say no to this,” he informed him, the older man gave him a look that says ‘why the hell did you ask in the first place?’ that Scott decided to ignore, “He’s telepathic, he won’t have any problems with your speech difficulty.

The elevator doors pinged and Logan entered without indicating any response first, leaving Scott alone expecting for an answer the second time this hour. Scott wondered if it was the fact that Logan finally realized it was a bad idea coming here (not that it was, he just seemed like the type of guy not to like any crowded areas).

As soon as Scott showed Logan his room on the second floor, he opened his mouth to say, “As of now, this will be your room, if you have any questions, just write it down on a piece of paper and my room would be down three doors to the—”, he was immediately cut off when Logan slammed the door shut in front of his face, “—left…”

_What’s his problem?_

Turning around, he suddenly found Jubilee leaning against the wall, “Oh yeah, he definitely have more sex appeal than you.”

Scott’s eyebrows furrowed, “How long have you been following us?”

She shrugged, “A few minutes, give or take?”

“And you said I need therapy,”

“You’re not fooling anyone, you still do,” she said before waving her right hand as she leave, her bright red (they said it was yellow, but it’s not like Scott can see nor distinguish colors) jacket disappearing when she turned a corner. 

Scott returned to the sublevels and into Hank’s lab, he found the older mutant writing down a few scientific formulas on his scratch of paper, before crumpling it up and throwing it in his already over flowing trash bin. He knocked twice on the already opened door to have his attention.

“I was expecting you’d take longer than that to have a look on Logan, you definitely took your time with me.”

“I’m already aware on most of what he can do, the only change was his bones being coated with the strongest metal on earth,” Hank informed him, “Sure he have a few complains here and there, but nothing really worth being a real pain.”

Scott’s face scrunched up in confusion, he’s been doing that quite a lot now. 

_Complains?_

Hank looked up, probably sensing Scott’s puzzled reaction, “He doesn’t have any speech difficulty, Scott,”

“What?” He asked even more confused. That can’t be right, if Logan was able to talk, why hasn’t he been communicating with him since the first time they met?

Hank flipped his monitor and showed Scott a view of a cctv footage inside his lab at the top right corner of the room. The footage was timed a few hours earlier when Scott left to inform the Professor about the mission. Hank pressed a button for the video to play.

Logan was looking at the doorway and just right after a few second had passed, a little less than a minute, he turned his head and stared at Hank, _“Al’right what the fuck is this place?”_ he said that took Scott a moment to realize that _this_ was Logan’s voice, I bit garbled, but definitely his.

It sounded gruff, and low, definitely suites him. For some unexplainable reasons, Scott found himself having goosebumps that he would deny later if asked.

 _“I see that you can actually talk,”_ The Hank in the footage said, a tinge of surprise in his voice.

_“Well my mouth’s moving, words are coming out, the fuck do ya call that?_

Watching this, Scott wondered why Logan decided to keep quiet around him, completely unable to notice the burn of his soulmark until it died down into nothing, he won’t be able to feel it again in the next coming years once Logan wakes up in the future after drowning in ’75.

Back in Logan’s temporary room, the man in question was standing in front of a bathroom mirror, completely naked while his thumb was grazing over the neatly written words that Scott said _about_ him all those years ago, it had turned grey ever since.

“Yer just a fucking kid,” he muttered, which was the only reason why he never uttered a single word to him.


	2. Not the Talking Type

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We're going to fucking ignore that Warren died at apocalypse and that he's a punk ass dude who isn't rich.
> 
> Also, movieverse kurt is such a cinnamon roll!

Scott didn’t think it was a big issue, the fact that he’s the only person in the mansion who haven’t heard Logan talk wasn’t something he thought was an important subject. The guy looked like the type of person to brood at one corner rather than open his mouth and converse with people. Much like Scott, the only difference is, he’s very much aware that he’s shy and not broody.

The thought that Logan probably just disliked talking had given Scott nothing to care about the guy’s lack of ability to converse. Also, because he’s not aware that it’s only to him.

Scott only realized this when Hank paired him with Kurt to train on a one-on-one combat without using their mutation on their weekly training. Scott was rather pleased when he did a quick overhead throw that made him as the winner, but after noticing Kurt’s drowsy behaviour and constantly rubbing his fist on his left eye, he came into conclusion that his win wasn’t supposed to be that easy.

“Nightcrawler?” He found himself asking when the German started yawning. The others were too busy with their activity to notice them.

“Ja?” 

“Have you been feeling under the weather?” Scott asked again before turning around, in search of Hank, “If you’re going down on sometime we should probably tell—”

A three fingered hand was suddenly slapped against his mouth to shut him up in an instant, “Zon’t!” he said before realizing what he did and flailed his hands away, “Pleaze, zon’t tell enyone.”

This caused Scott’s eyebrows to furrow, “Did you do something?”

When Kurt looked away without saying anything while also scratching his nape, that was enough answer for Scott to understand that he _did_.

Racking his brain while looking closer, his constant yawning and droopy eyes told him that Kurt’s tired and considering that it’s a little after lunch now, the weariness was a cause from yesterday that was now starting to catch up to him. Since there weren’t any grand activity that had happened, there was only one explanation.

“Did you slept late last night?”

The heavy sigh that came out of the German’s mouth was enough to solidify Scott’s theory, “Ja,” he said, “Pleaze zon’t tell enyone,” he repeated, “I zidn’t thought it’ll take that long.”

“Did you even sleep? What time?” Scott asked again when Kurt yawned the third time, he raised two of his hands to show five fingers raised, meaning the guy hit the bed at five a.m. and had only two hours of sleep, “You do know that constant lack of sleep can cause multiple problems such as—“

“Ja, ja, ja ,ja,” Kurt said waving a dismissive hand between them, “Logan promised it won’t be conztant.”

Scott’s brain screeched to a halt, “Logan?” he asked uncharacteristically dumbed before straightening his back, “You were with Logan?”

Kurt nodded, “Ja,” he anwered as if the mere fact of hanging out with that guys doesn’t sound so odd.

“He hangs out with you?” Scott noticed that he had done nothing but to ask ever since this conversation started.

Kurt shrugged, “Ja,” he said, “He does it vith Jubilee,” he added as if trying to defend himself by stating that he’s not the only one doing this, like the mere fact of spending time with Logan had suddenly became a taboo.

The guy was hanging out with Kurt _and_ Jubilee? It’s not the knowledge of them being polar opposites struck him, it was the information that Logan can spend time with people was what boggled him the most. Was it on purpose or not? Did Logan liked the company? 

The guy had been staying in the mansion for quite a while now, four months and two weeks to be exact, and Scott had never, not even once, saw the guy comply on any of the rules with inclination. Logan always prefers being alone and obviously doesn’t go well with others, he leaves the mansion whenever he feels like it and decided to vanish for a couple of days before returning early in the morning to piss on the garden.

Also earning himself a few words from the Professor because some students aren’t old enough to be discussed about the birds and the bees.

The guy also have this massive problem about authority, Logan wasn’t an official member of the team, _yet_ (according to the Professor) but whenever there’s a mission and he’s part of it, Scott’s receiving migraines whenever Logan does things on his own, the fact that Scott had led five types of minor and medium levelled missions ever since the Professor asked him if he can lead, Logan had always been present and almost made everything worse.

Scott had let it go the first time, the second time though, he decided that a one-on-one discussion won’t be a bad idea, it was worse. Before he could even say a line, Logan pulled out his cigarette, lit it and walked off without giving him a second glance. Scott wasn’t sure if it has something to do with their massive age gap, but he can’t really be sure on that since Logan had never been in a mission whenever Scott’s not the leader.

He didn’t want to treat people differently, and he liked to think that each member of the team is an asset, but he’s not really fond of the idea that a possible asset is currently a huge disadvantage. So as much as possible he try to make Logan always on his side, which led to another different problem: communication. Rather than open his mouth and voice out his concerns, he would rather slap Scott at the back of his head whenever he did something that Logan didn’t like. 

It’s like trying to please an arrogant student.

All those encounters and yet Kurt and Jubilee managed to hang out with him? There’s a few chances with her, but Kurt? They’re total opposites when it comes to their attitude. It’s that thought that kept Scott awake at night, or mostly just staring far off in a distance.

Not that he's counting numbers, but if anyone’s supposed to be closer to Logan, it’s him. Scott saw him first, met him, got to know him and was actually the person to bring him here. Which led him to another thought, why the hell is this a big deal to him? What exactly got him thinking that Logan’s supposed to be spending his time with him and not with Kurt or Jubilee? Was he supposed to be an exception? Obviously the answer is no.

Logan can choose his own associates (and Scott’s definitely not thinking about the probable huge age difference because as far as he know, all of them are now at age and legally allowed to go to jail) and he got nothing to say to it.

“Remove your glasses, it’ll help you obliterate your homework,” Warren told him one weekend when Scott was doing his summer homework by the garden. Apparently the school library became the place for passing gossip and he didn’t really like overhearing what’s the current hot topic.

“I wasn’t planning on that, besides, that would also ruin the school grounds,” Scott answered with one blink as he look up to see the beautiful winged mutant standing in front of him, carrying a luggage, “How’s the summer vacation?”

Warren shrugged, “Usual rich people stuff,” he said before taking a sit beside him and handing over a wrapped up present, “Happy belated birthday by the way.”

“Thank you,” Scott answered automatically before accepting the present, “You’re three weeks late,” he added, just because, before removing the tape to unwrap it neatly. Scott can feel Warren’s judging stare but chose to ignore it.

“My old man said I’d be back here two weeks before school starts,” Warren reasoned, “How’s the coming of age party? Did something interesting finally happened to you?”

Scott paused mid-way from opening his present to look on the table, remembering the events from three weeks prior, “Jean taught me how to kiss with tongue.” He informed him before continuing on his work.

Warren’s eyebrow raised up, “I’m jealous but congratulations,”

“Peter also groped my ass,” he added.

“That’s accurate and also inappropriate.” 

Once Scott had successfully unwrapped his present he saw that it was a dark shirt with the logo of a sitcom he had been watching for a while was printed over it, “Seinfeld?” he questioned.

“I was aiming for a genuine smile,” Warren said, “Ororo told me you enjoyed watching it.”

Scott nodded before folding the shirt neatly and placing it on top of his homework, “I do, their humour’s really entertaining,”

“I knew I should’ve bought a Porsche figurine.”

“I already have a lot of them, also a bunch of none coloured shirts,” he said, remembering the time where he get to open up his presents and he only seem to receive the same ones over and over again. Scott heard Peter saying that this was probably the most depressing birthday he saw. 

“A figurine of the Stratojet then,” he added before asking, “Who’s that?” 

Scott looked up to see Logan standing a good few feet away from them, leaning against a tree with his arms crossed over his chest, it’s the fact that Logan wasn’t even hiding on watching them took Scott a minute to answer, “That’s Logan, he’s new.”

“Well that part’s obvious,” Warren said leaning back on his shoulders and stretching his huge magnificent wings, “Why’s he looking this way?”

“He doesn’t like strangers,” Scott answered, looking down on his activity and resumed on answering the seventh question, “The more threatened he feels, the more he sees you under the bad light.”

“Threatened by how? These talons?” Warren said before adding a bitter Scoff at the last part.

Scott shrugged, “He has heightened senses, he’s probably just sensing something new and instantly think that it’s a bad one,” although Scott dislikes it whenever Logan has that instances, his senses were a really huge advantage on missions, which only happens on unusual events, sadly.

“Huh,” Warren huffed out.

While scribbling on his notebook, he felt the blond lean down on his work, his face getting closer to his, it was slightly putting Scott out of focus especially since Warren’s hairs are wavy and kept on brushing across his face. It was really uncomfortable and a bit ticklish.

“What are you doing?” 

“Taking reference from your work,” Warren answered. Scott instantly shut his notebook close and Warren chuckled at him, “This is why people pick you last when we play dodge ball, before you turned into this martial arts monster.”

“I hate dodge ball, it does nothing but to make fun of the less gifted,”

“And that is how you get your head plunge down the toilet,” Warren added with a quick point of his finger before turning to stare back at Logan, who somehow magically seemed to be a lot more bad-tempered than earlier, “You said he hates a person if he feels threatened,” Scott nodded, “Threatened how?”

Scott gave it a thought, “Territorially, why?”

“Nothing,” Warren said that most definitely sounded that it’s not just nothing. Without letting Scott say anything, he stood up and stretched his wings, “I should better go see the Professor,” he said before he started flying away, making strong gush of wind that made Scott scramble for his work sheets.

Scott watched as Warren flew higher up in the sky, wondering how long Warren had to clip his wings just to blend in the crowd. It’s questioning how mutants are known and yet they still need to blend in just to avoid attention, following rules that were only meant for them.

Placing his papers back on the table, Scott resumed on finishing up the last few remaining questions. He wasn’t able to notice that Logan didn’t leave his spot all throughout the time he was scribbling on his notebook.

The school year had started and Scott’s finally taking his last year on high school, Logan still haven’t said a single word to him and was still a resident in the mansion even though he’s mostly out on his own doing Logan stuff. Warren’s back in the team and had become Scott’s right hand man as soon as he realized that he was now leading most of the missions.

Raven and Erik started going out on their own missions as well that the Professor have no knowledge about, Peter seemed to be less affected than what the others suspected, but that doesn’t change the fact that he still haven’t told his estranged father about the situation. It was starting to make the missions awkward whenever they cross paths.

But that wasn’t the only thing that’s making Scott’s migraine a lot more difficult to handle. Apparently, ever since Angel joined the team and had assumed as second in command (Scott didn’t mind), Logan apparently didn’t like the change, up to the point whenever he saw Warren gearing up, his default scowl had turned quite murderously.

It’s affecting the dynamic of the team a lot.

There was one point where it was Warren’s job to make a certain advancement on the task but Logan somehow decided that he should do it and had almost ended the mission successfully in flames. It’s like he was trying to prove something and as much as Scott wanted to see it that way, Logan’s just being a bigger headache than usual.

It didn’t take long when Warren started to dislike the guy more and more.

“Why the hell is he on the team?” the blond asked him onas walk down the hallway.

“He’s not usually like that,” Scott defended, “I’ll ask Jean to coax him next time.”

“She can't just always do that whenever we’re on a mission, Scott,” he said, “You better talk to him,”

“I think it’s pretty obvious that talking wasn’t an option,” Scott said tersely that caused Warren’s eyebrows to furrow, “him and me don’t actually have a great relationship.

It took Warren a second to realized what he meant, “You hate him,” was his response.

Scott tried not to wince from the usage of that term, hate seemed to be a strong word, “He’s annoying,” he corrected which didn’t change Warren’s mind.

“Admit it, you hate him,” he continued, “I can see your eyebrows twitching whenever he does something stupid.”

“Look, Logan can manage to finish a mission well on his own.”

“By destroying public property in the process, which _we_ are trying to avoid because even a pretty face like me can still be discriminated if I have wings like this.”

“What’s wrong with your wings? It’s beautiful,”

“It’s not beautiful if my talons can break concrete,”

Scott stopped on his tracks and turned to look at Warren, “Why are we having this discussion?”

“Because other than Jean, everyone else is a pussy to ask this question,” Warren answered, slipping his hands inside his pockets, “Why do you put up with a guy like Logan?”

And it’s not like Scott can say he’s an asset, because Logan’s currently far away from being one. If he was about to say something to that, the man in question turned a corner with a lit cigar on his mouth, basing by how he stride across the hallway, he definitely heard them talking.

“You can’t smoke that inside,” Scott told him instead because what more can he say?

Logan only quirked an eyebrow before taking a huge puff and stubbing the cigar on his palm before discarding it on the nearest potted plant. He gave Scott a look as if asking him if that’s making him happy.

Scott ignored the action, “Well wasn’t that easy—” Logan blew smoke at his face before taking a side step to leave. Scott was too busy waving the toxic fumes away from his face to say something back. It took him a while to regain his breathing, oddly that action made his heart rate quicken, “He’s really irritating me,” he told Warren instead.

But Warren was giving him this look and Scott took a moment to get the gist of what the guy was trying to imply.

“That is not a shotgun kiss,” Scott instantly said.

“I didn’t say that, you did,”

It’s been half a year since the last time Scott heard Logan’s voice through a video footage and he only realized that after the Professor showed him a recorded video that Hank took, apparently after a certain accomplished mission where Scott may or may not have put his position at risked and Logan saving him the last minute, well, the older guy was obviously not happy about it.

 _“That kid ain’t fit for this!”_ Logan nothing but yelled through the small TV Scott was watching in the Professor’s office, _“He’s always fucking second guessing himself, that stick up the ass pretty boy ain’t gonna make difference if he pulled that shit again! The fuck's he tryna prove?!”_ Logan bellowed.

Scott only continued on watching through the long banter Logan was yelling with a straight face until the video ended when older man stormed off, and he was sure that the Professor choosing him to lead the team wasn’t the best idea.

“I think Logan may have a point why I’m not really fit for this,” Scott uttered.

“No, Scott, my choice is final,” He said, “You’re going to lead the X-men and along the way, some might not like your choices, but as a leader you have to use those critics to improve yourself better,” the Professor continued, “Everyone wasn’t pleased with that stunt you pulled, and Logan seemed to be the only vocal one about it.”

It’s like Logan was waiting for Scott to make one mistake and make it a big ruckus, “I seemed to be the best candidate at that moment,” Scott explained instead.

“No, Scott, you and I both know that Logan was the best candidate for it because of his ability to regenerate, why didn’t you chose him?”

“If I did, I’ll have to risk on ruining the mission, Professor,” he explained, “Logan never listens to me even if I tell him to, I have been doing everything for him to follow through my orders but he just never heeds.”

“Then give him a reason to listen,” The Professor said and honestly it’s a lot harder than it sounds, they both know it, “You brought Logan here not knowing that he was the person you’re supposed to find, I know that you saw something in him that you currently can’t see right now, and I would like it if you could see that again.”

In all honesty, it's starting to make Scott think if he ever saw something in Logan in the first place. It was his first mission alone and he didn’t want to fail, Logan was just there and was already making a big impression on him.

The coming weekend came and Scott was given a solo mission to fetch a runaway mutant from his home, it would be an easy one since the destination wasn’t as far as the first few missions, what made him think it would be hard was because somehow Logan decided to tag along the last minute.

Ever since then, Scott would always find Logan tagging along even though the mission specifically said it’s a solo. He already talked to the Professor about this issue but he only said that this could help them build their not-so-improving relationship. Scott got nothing but to agree to it even though he’s very unhappy with the idea.

Jean told him that Logan’s probably just looking after him, they still haven’t forgotten Scott’s self-sacrificing act. And being that most of his friends where mad at him, Scott decided not to say anything to it. Although he didn’t know if Jean was aware of the fact that Logan actually did more than just yelled at Hank, demanding for Scott to just drop the position and stop being the leader because he’s incompetent for it.

All the more reason Scott wanted to prove him wrong.

“And you’re finally growing a back bone,” Jubilee said while scratching a straight line on her essay before continuing. They were all currently situated in Peter’s room, being that he’s their PE teacher, he doesn’t have any roommates and that his room’s huge.

“I always have a back-bone,” Scott said tipping his head to the right.

“Metaphorically, Scott, not everything Jubilee says is literal,” Ororo muttered while solving her math homework on Peter’s bed.

“I know, and not everything I thought is also literal,” Scott replied and everyone’s head perked up, except for Kurt who’s head was pressed down on Peter’s worktable, Jean said he wasn’t asleep, just very tired.

“Oh ho ho!” Peter jeered, “Did I heard that just right? Did Scott seriously said that? Or am I dreaming and the Professor wasn’t really asking for a lesson plan seven in the morning tomorrow?”

“No, no,” Jean said, “That part is real, you better start finishing it now, it’s way past ten.”

“Shoot, already?” Jubilee exclaimed before standing up to fix her things.

“Were are you going?” Warren asked who was perched by the window sill because his wings needs to be stretched and Peter’s room may be huge, but it’s not enough for his wings to fit in not when everybody else was inside.

“Logan promised I could spar with him in the Danger Room and I’m really looking forward to it,” she answered with a shrug, “Kurt, you coming?” she asked the German.

“Nein,” he answered with a wave of his hand, too tired to even raise his head, “Tell Logan I’ll join next time.”

“Alright, suit yourself,” she said before she started bounding out that door. Everyone was watching her as she left except for Kurt who Scott was sure was this close from passing out dead tired on Peter’s table.

“I’m still not buying it,” Warren said from his spot, “How can a guy like Logan actually befriend Jubilee like she’s some sort of apprentice to him?”

“No one’s asking you to buy it,” Ororo said, “You’ll get used to it soon,” she added, although seeing that Warren had been here for about four months now, he still can’t grasp the idea that Jubilee and Kurt had somehow found a way to make friends with Logan, getting used to it would still take him a few more months.

It’s weird how Logan can fairly spend his time well with those two and yet he’s here unable to even hear a sliver of his voice because apparently they hate each other. Or that’s what Warren told him. Everyone else somehow heard him cuss at least three times a day, and that’s a minimum, yet Scott haven’t heard him even exhale deeply, at least once.

They say Logan swears like a sailor whenever his betting team loses on hockey, so Scott had tried to watch hockey with him once but the guy was quiet the whole game. His theory was they were probably watching a different team, but he never tried it again because the atmosphere was heavy the whole time, that’s saying something because according to everyone, he’s dense.

Scott never told anyone about this small issue of his, they just know that Logan turns into not the talking type whenever Scott’s around since it was common knowledge that they don’t actually like each other. But they don’t really know that Scott had never heard Logan’s _raw_ voice and not from those video footages.

It was strange how he was the person who found Logan and brought him here, yet his relationship with him was worse than Peter’s attention span.

Scott found himself staring on his homework far longer than usual. Apparently he doesn’t feel, _fine_ after thinking about it, which was odd and highly questionable. Pushing those thoughts at the back of his head, he looked up and realized that the group was discussing about their plans after high school.

Warren was planning on taking up college since his dad wants him to take over the company. Scott already knew he’d continue his life here in the mansion as an X-Man and might take up teaching a few class. 

“By the way, this may seem out of topic, but,” Ororo chimed in before turning to look at Scott, “Why are you always wearing that wrist band?”

Scott found himself rubbing the inner part of his wrist, the part where his partner’s words were scribbled messily on his skin, “Did I never tell you guys?” he asked because he swear he at least mentioned this to them once. He turned to look at Jean who was sitting beside him as if asking, but she only shook her head

“Nah bruh, zero, I thought that’s just a poor choice of fashion statement,” Peter said, “I still think it is though.”

Warren’s face scrunched up, “Coming from a guy who wears silver from head to toe at the ripe age of thirty?”

“I’m still two years away from that age, shut up tweety bird,” He retorted that caused the blonde’s left eye to twitch, something told Scott that there’s a story behind that nickname but he didn’t want to ask.

“Well?” Ororo asked instead. Chin resting on her folded elbows while she lay stomach down on Peter’s bed.

Apparently he’s been living in the mansion for almost three years now and none of his friends were actually aware that he was one of the small percentage who have someone built for them out there, their other half, or might as well be called their soulmate, “It’s my words,” he uttered.

Kurt’s head perked up and was surprisingly wide awake as soon as the words left Scott’s mouth.

“Wait, seriously?” Peter started who was suddenly sitting on his other side, “There’s actually someone out there who’s a hundred percent compatible for you and would love you forever? I’m betting that’s a robot or more specifically Plankton’s wife.”

Scott’s eyebrows furrowed.

“Hold on,” Warren said raising a hand, “You’re telling us, you have a soulmate and you didn’t even mention it before?”

“I thought I at least mentioned it once,” he said with a slight shrug, “Also, you guys never ask, I don’t see why I should announce it when no one obviously didn’t want to know.”

“Scott, not everyone has a soulmate, of course we’d like to know,” Jean said, “At least now I understand why you were cautious at kissing me back.”

“Varren was pretty close at hitting you up with someone,” Kurt utter while pointing a thumb towards Warren’s direction, “Zomething about you needing to get laid,”

“I’m eighteen, I still have a whole life ahead of me,” Scott answered.

“When I was sixteen I already busted my dad out of the pentagon,” Peter said with a shrugged, everyone was suddenly looking at him with a blank expression, “Yes, Scott, you need to get laid soon, try asking Logan for advice.”

Then the parade of discussion on whose better at picking up girls, Warren or Logan, ensued. Scott was the only one who felt like the topic was pretty useless. But now that he noticed it, Peter’s been acting like he’d known Logan far better than any of them, although he never said anything about it, he was confident about his words whenever he talks about the guy. It’s like he met the older man long before Jean, Kurt and him met Logan at Alkali Lake. 

Something flared inside Scott, although he wasn’t aware what kind of feeling it was and can’t seem to point a finger over it. But he was pretty sure that he didn’t like it.

Seven months had already passed since the school year started, a certain mission had increased the population in school meaning Peter lost his privacy and ended up with a roommate and Scott woke up with a ruined alarm clock on his side table, its spring and wires were crushed and thrown across the floor while a huge lump of flesh was sleeping peacefully across from him.

It took Scott a second to realize that Logan was his roommate. 

The guy was gone for approximately five days, Scott wasn’t expecting that the sudden change of rooms would cause him to share one with a guy who never uttered a single word around him nor listen to any word he say. Not to mention his alarm clock wasn’t a cheap one for Logan’s claws to just crush it like that. Scott wasn’t pleased with this change, he’s not going to share a room with this slob who smokes on a daily basis and doesn’t seem to know how to take a shower.

He needs to talk to the Professor.

“Don’t you think its great idea that he’s your roommate?” The Professor told him instead with a soft smile. Scott noticed how the Professor had changed compared to the first time he met him, other than the fact that he had hair, he mellowed down over the years.

“I disagree,” Scott answered like he practiced the words he was planning to say, “Logan and I have been known to be at odds most of the times, I don’t think rooming me with him is a great idea.”

“Then think of this as a mission,” The Professor suggested, “It has come to my concerns about your relationship with the older man a bunch of times, and what more better idea to fix this debacle by making you coexist in the same room. Your mission is to actually try and improve your relationship with him.”

Scott blinked at him, “This is a very, very bad idea Professor,”

In just a few months, Logan had been staying here for over a year, but rather than see improvement from the guy, what he saw was the exact opposite. It’s as if Logan had gone tone deaf whenever Scott was talking, and even if Scott try to at least show authority by scolding him, the older man would only stare at him with those eyes rendering Scott speechless and his palms becoming sweaty.

It was annoying, it’s like Logan knows what buttons to push even without talking just to piss him off.

Scott usually pushed any unnecessary emotions at the back of his head, but this was really irritating him. Scott was busy finishing his English essay when Logan decided that smoking in the room was a splendid idea. Scott tried to bear with it but second hand smoke is highly dangerous and he’s not really fond of the smell.

“Can you at least try puffing the smoke out the window?” He snapped, turning around to glare at the older man who was busy reading a magazine about motorcycles while lying down on his bed.

What Scott didn’t expect, Logan was shirtless and obviously ripped, showing his hairy chest and strong muscles. Somehow it made Scott feel hot, like the time where he came across porn for the first time. Suddenly unable to utter a single word, Logan stood and walked towards him, feeling weird and sweaty, Scott looked away and realized how his heartbeat had become too loud and too fast in an instant.

Trying to ignore the odd feeling, Scott placed all of his attention back on his essay and scribbled words until he noticed that he’s way over the maximum limit. Without thinking, he stole a quick glance towards the older man and had found that Logan was still smoking but was puffing it out the window.

Somehow, Scott found himself staring and thought that this may actually be the first step, because Logan did what Scott told him. Snapped at him to be more specific.

Here’s the thing, it happened more than once and quite often than he’d like, not the part where Logan started listening to Scott, no, they still have a long way to go for that, but the part where he’s suddenly flustered and sweaty around him. It doesn’t help the fact that Logan seem to notice it every time and was doing his best to make Scott feel miserable.

Scott mostly found himself visiting the med lab to check if he’s experiencing palpitations, although Hank kept on telling him he’s fine, Scott wasn’t buying it. After taking his last class for the day, Scott retreated back to his room only to find Logan standing completely naked in the middle, skin moist and hair wet while holding a towel over his head.

The sudden heat creeping up Scott’s face made him grip the doorknob tighter. He was seeing _everything_ , and Logan was just giving this look as if waiting for the kid to do something. And Scott, well, Scott was rooted on his spot while his eyes kept on wondering lower and lower, and when he started feeling weird, he frantically scrambled out and closed the door before running towards the nearest restroom because he’s hard, he’s really _hard_ and he hates it.

“You like Logan,” Jean informed him when Scott told her about it after getting cornered because apparently Peter heard him trying to relieve himself earlier.

“Why would I like Logan?” Scott questioned, “He smokes, he’s barbaric, he does things on his own and never listens to anything I say, but has the audacity to judge what I do when he as much as saw a small mistake that I made.”

“Scott, you got hard seeing him naked.”

“That’s acceptable, it’s only normal for my body to react that way, its science.” Scott had never expected to find himself talking like this.

“As well as your sweaty hands and fast heartbeat?” Jean presented while an eyebrow was arching upwards, “You said so yourself it happens whenever Logan ‘accidentally’ hovers around your personal bubble.”

“There can be a different reason for that.”

“No, that’s what having butterflies in your stomach feels like,” Jean deadpanned, “Scott, honey, I read can minds, you can raise the walls around your head, toughen them up and not let anyone enter. But I just want to tell you that even if you try, you can’t hide anything from me once I decided not to.”

And Scott only stared at her, because for a moment that somehow doesn’t sound like Jean at all. Ignoring his thoughts, Scott leaned back and stared at the ceiling that will always be red no matter how hard he look. Logan? He likes Logan? The guy who slaps his head and always gives him the finger whenever he doesn’t like what Scott had in mind?

The person who seem to enjoy making him feel embarrassed and flustered, always pushing his buttons as if that very idea was entertaining. Why would he like Logan? Jean was probably wrong on this one, Scott saw no reason why he should suddenly have feelings for the guy.

When Scott went back to his room, Logan was nowhere to be seen, so he took this as a chance to study for the upcoming finals even though it’s still a few more lessons away. Scott was writing down equations on his notebook when Logan entered the room and froze at the doorway, looking up, he saw the older man staring at him, as if expecting for something to happen.

“What?” Scott asked, trying his best not to let his face heat up or think about any genitals that he may or may not have seen earlier.

Logan stared at him for a few more seconds before shaking his head and heading straight towards the bathroom to take a leak. Once inside, Logan waited for any sort of odd movements outside, when he got nothing, he found himself rubbing his face and cursing inwardly because that was fucking close.

Scott didn’t notice his words.

Meanwhile, a certain eighteen years old kid was seriously considering if Jean’s actually right.

* * *

Graduation’s almost near and in a few weeks, Scott’s turning nineteen soon, but right now, they were all lying on the clean floor of the danger room after going through the training protocol that Hank and Scott revised. Most of the team were not pleased with the change but were too sore to tackle their team leader.

Logan, being the only person who heals within seconds was already up and about, leaving the room while stretching his shoulders, undoing those knots that hardened from the training.

“I hate you,” Peter muttered somewhere far towards Scott’s right, “I hate you and that you partnered me with Logan, that’s a shitty move man,”

“I’m trying to make the team feel capable of handling Logan’s impulsive actions, it can help us think quick and come up with an alternative with ease when it comes to the real deal,” Scott explained and yes, he will be sore tomorrow morning, he likes this new training schedule very much.

“How old are you again?”

“I can’t move my wings,” Warren moaned somewhere over Scott’s head, “Where’s Kurt by the way?”

“Vomited, currently at the med lab,” Ororo replied, “He teleported a bit too much, almost reached his limit.”

“Scott did I already told you I hate you?” Peter said again.

“That’s twice,” Scott answered.

“I hate you,”

“Three times now.”

“I’m gonna be so sore tomorrow, I’m skipping Peter’s class.” Warren announced.

“Dude, I’m the teacher and _I’m_ going to skip my class.” The silver haired mutant said, “All of it, I don’t care how close your graduation is, I’m not going to move a fucking muscle.”

“Aren’t you supposed to have quicker metabolism than us? Sore muscles won’t last four days for you,” Scott pointed out, remembering that time when Hank showed him the team’s vitals a year back.

“Shut up nerd, as long as these muscles are screaming murder at me, I’m not talking to you,” he groaned.

Just then, Hank came in and announced to the whole team that the new training regime had shown great results for everyone’s vitals making it one of the permanent schedule, to which everyone groaned in protest, except for Scott who saw now problem with it. He’s also giving them another ten minutes to rest before they all need to hit the showers. 

“You know what’s worse with this?” Warren said as soon as Hank left, “Once Logan get to be paired with me, I’m going to hate watching the kids watch that cartoon character named tweety bird.”

“I already hate the name, Bub, and he calls everyone that,” Peter muttered.

Scott’s eyebrows furrowed, confused from what the sudden change of topic and was quite different from the original. Turning, he looked at Jean asking for answers.

“It’s their nicknames,” she answered, eyes closed and resting.

“Like their alias names?”

“Nope,” Ororo said this time, “Nicknames, the one Logan gave them.”

This took Scott a moment to grasp what the white haired mutant just told him, “Logan has nicknames for them?” he asked again, taking the news by surprise although it shouldn’t really be that much of a big deal.

In the background, the other two were still fighting over who has the worst nickname, ignoring them, Ororo stretched her arms and said, “Everyone have one, more specifically the name, Bub,” a pause, “You didn’t know? He’s been calling everyone that ever since he came here.”

Scott went silent. No, he didn’t know Logan calls everyone that because he never heard Logan utter a single word around him, “How come you two don’t seem bothered being called, Bub?” he asked instead.

“That’s because he doesn’t?” Jean replied, “He calls me Jeanie or Red when it comes to missions, I’m pretty okay with it. Marvel Girl seems long.”

Scott turned to Munroe, “Mine’s ‘Ro,” she replied instantly, “Kurt has a cool one, Elf, for a person who looked a lot like the devil, Logan managed to give him a decent nickname.”

“Hank has, Furball, longer than his name,” Jean replied with a light chuckle, “You seriously don’t know?”

No, Scott doesn’t, and oddly, he felt _pissed_. Not only was Logan giving everyone nicknames, talking around them, and here he was, the person who brought Logan here and was currently his roommate got nothing. Scott was used to being left out, it doesn’t bother him. But somehow, this one passed right through his barriers.

“He probably don’t even know his own nickname,” Ororo muttered to Jean that vaporized Scott’s impending bad mood in an instant.

“What?”

The weather goddess only game him a look that says she’s already expecting this but somehow his answer still surprised her, “Of course you don’t know,” she said before giving it a thought, her face scrunching up in process, “That’s not how it works though,”

“Logan and I rarely talk,” Scott answered, and the look that Jean gave him told Scott that she’s not buying it, but she’ll let it pass this time.

“Well, there’s Cyke, on missions,” Ororo said holding out one of her fingers to count. Taking Scott a moment to realize that Logan had given him a number of names that he wasn’t aware about until today.

“One-Eye for a more derogatory manner,” Jean added, “And our own personal favourite, he uses this on most occasions, _Slim_ ,” she explained and even lying down, Scott suddenly heard a ringing in his ear, “We’ve used that name a couple of times around you, you just never seem to notice nor hear it though, and …”

_Slim._

Scott unconsciously found himself suddenly rubbing a thumb across his inner wrist. He have read his words over and over again, every morning he would at least read it once while taking a bath before he covers it up and went on his way towards his first class. That name had been printed on his skin for as long as he’d known, and apparently it was Logan’s fault. 

According to Jean, Slim was everyone’s personal favourite and had started calling him by that behind his back. Someday, his soulmate would also call him by this name. It’s just that his words felt odd, ten words that you won't definitely say to a person you just met for the first time.

And just like that, he was reminded that there’s supposed to be someone out there for him, and yet he’s in the middle of questioning his sexuality whenever Logan’s around. He’s starting to question if these growing feelings was just something of a passing or just out of curiosity and it would just go away someday. He is after all young and healthy, all of those frustrations was probably just due to sexual attraction and nothing more. He needs to know.

Scott’s train of thought was put to a stop when Hank yelled at them to hit the showers.

The next day came, and Scott was still feeling the sore of his muscles which made him feel good, he just finished his last class for the day and was about to start on his homework, but then when he entered his room and Logan was just there, lying down on his bed, a hand behind his head while reading a magazine about motorcycles, looking relaxed for once without a frown on his face.

Scott just got to make the request, “Do you want to spar?”

It wasn’t an impulsive question, he’s been meaning to ask the older man ever since the Professor told him to build a well relationship with the guy. And since Logan started to mellow down a bit when it comes to talking behind Scott’s back, he thought that maybe someday this week could be a good start, he just wasn’t expecting that he’ll ask the question today.

Logan looked up at him and furrowed his eyebrows.

“Just nod,” he said before immediately adding, “Or you could just ignore that I even asked that question,” when the other mutant continued to only stare at him

The older man gave it a moment of thought before closing the magazine, stood up and jerked his head in a manner of telling him that they should start heading down the Danger Room. Scott shouldn’t feel elated with that, but he was. He assumed that maybe Logan’s rash decisions on missions will start decreasing soon.

But when the older man turned, his hands inside the pockets of his jeans, looking at Scott as if asking if he’s going to follow or what, he understood that he’s elated for a different reason and that Jean was right.

_Oh._

* * *

Logan’s not going to deny it, Scott’s a great partner to spar with. The kid knows how to maneuver his body that even with his slim form, he could bring him down. Obviously, Slim’s not the type to like it when you go easy on him. So maybe Logan had enjoyed those short moments, and maybe he let himself make it happen a couple more times.

Ignoring the kid wasn’t as easy as it sounds when he’s supposed to be the person who’s made to complete you, all those other cringey bullshits about soulmates was really making it difficult. And the annoying part was, all of it was fucking true. 

Not talking to the kid was his choice alone after realizing that Scott’s only seventeen years old, and the kid’s fucking dense, hiding it away from him was easy. The fact that Logan never uttered a single word to him was a dead giveaway, or even if he still couldn’t get the gist, he got those little brats he hangs out with, surely Slim at least mentioned it to them once. But seeing how not even one of them was getting suspicious, the kid must’ve been keeping the issue to himself.

Not like Logan’s going to do something about it, _kid’s too young for him_ was what he said almost two years ago, now that he’s eighteen and a few weeks away from becoming a year older, Logan doesn’t have any more reason to not talk to Scott.

Except that he’s also very fucking _annoying_. 

He’s like this preppy Boy Scout who knows nothing but to please everyone. Always obedient and doesn’t seem to know how to have a life, every day he always seem to be following this non-existent schedule that has the list of everything he’ll have to do for the day. Not to mention his self-esteem is helluva low, always second guessing himself like its some sort of habit.

Kid’s a complete opposite from what he expected him to be.

But that doesn’t mean he stole glances, short glances that will never be enough because those fucking glasses were always in the way. With a straight face like Slim, you can’t really know whether you’ve been caught or not. So far, Logan haven’t been found yet, he didn’t know it was by pure luck or just plain coincidence.

Of course he knew that it would just be easy, that’s how things were supposed to be. But just a few more years, Logan would just wait a few more years and maybe by then, he’d let it happen. The age difference is fucking ridiculous and the fact that he doesn’t even know his own damn age makes this set up even more ridiculous.

Right now, Logan’s fine from just watching from behind. Although he ain’t that stupid not to notice how the kid clearly dislikes him, that was Logan’s own doing after all. Attraction can happen in a flick of a finger if Logan decided not to rile the kid up. He purposely made it hard for him, and okay, maybe he did that for the sake of his fucking ego but mostly because irritation can easily wash away attraction.

Unless that’s what he thought, but so far, it’s working well.

And maybe Logan’s already down the rabbit hole before he noticed it, it’s bound to happen anyway. It’s not like he was trying to prevent himself from falling down any deeper, that ship sailed a long time ago, even if he’s not aware when or how that happened. He just came into an understanding with it when that handsome tweety bird came into the picture.

Maybe he gets annoyed sometimes when a certain flying prick gets to hover close to him, or a silver haired retard groped him by the ass, even Jean teaching Scott how to kiss may or may not have made him crush a few couple of beer cans. Chick’s gorgeous, anyone would want to get kissed by her. But it’s not like Logan got to have a say in it, might as well let out those frustration in the Danger Room.

And probably sabotage of few of their missions.

Right now, sharing a room with Scott and finding out that the kid wanted to continue being an X-Man than take up college, Logan wanted to say _A few more years, just a few more years_ , but that shit’s getting old now, as well as this kid who just recently graduated is becoming an adult.

Two more years and Logan would start considering him as a real adult.

“You know, I’ve always thought Scott has this tinsy bit of crush on you,” Jubilee told him one evening while Logan was taking his turn playing pool.

He paused and stood up, “What?”

Jubilee shrugged, “I dunno, he’s just always… I mean whenever he hears anything about you, his whole attention is on that,” she explained, “Maybe that’s just me, but whenever I say I’d be hanging out with you, his eyebrows raises up even just by a little.”

Logan stared at her, “Are ya fucking high on acid?”

She raised her hand as if surrendering, “Just saying,” she said before leaning back on the chair she currently using. When Jubilee didn’t say anything after that, Logan leaned down and resumed on trying to hit an odd number when she opened her mouth again, “I still think he likes you though,”

Logan stood up and gave the kid a look, “The hell’s yer point?” he said, “Ya know him and I are always at fucking odds, right?”

“I know,” she replied with a small chirp on her voice as if to say that part’s obvious, “I also know that Scott’s the king of repression. Maybe under all those irritation he has for you, he might actually have just a bit of attraction that he’s currently not aware of.”

Logan, again, gave her a long hard look and said, “Ya gotta stop reading Johanna Lindsey’s books, kid,”

Jubilee’s face scrunched up, “Gross, what do you take me for?”

Logan rolled his eyes and just quickly took his shot, he scored.

“You know, if Scott ever tried playing billiards with you, you’d lose by a lot,” She said.

He scoffed before chalking up his cue stick, “I doubt he’d want to play with me.”

That thing was, maybe Scott would want to, at first because of competitiveness but then he might stick by to spend time with him. He didn’t want to sound confident about it, but that’s just how things like these works, sparring with him was already enough proof. What was just a one-time request became a weekly routine for the two of them.

Scott probably haven’t noticed it yet. 

Apparently, since there’s a graduation, the kids decided to have a farewell party. Great, brats are gonna make a damn mess again, why the hell was he here in the first place? But since everyday an unpredictable event always happen, especially with them, Logan found himself gearing up with the team because some blond Chick decided to have a mental break down and start creating exploding balls.

Logan ain’t even kidding, the bigger that balls, the greater the force. You just gotta love this line of work.

This Chick calls herself Boom Boom, Logan can’t really judge when your group has a name like Marvel Girl, so really, he got nothing. But damn, she’s living up to the fucking name. Logan’s really pissed at those marble sized orbs, it’s helluva annoying when it explodes.

Scott, being the tactical monster he was, managed to drag the fight towards a very empty area to avoid public damage. Everyone with fucking eyes can see that there was a plan forming inside his head, the thing is, Logan being that his soul was practically tied to him, had a huge gut feeling that he ain’t going to like.

After being ordered to rile up Ms. Boom Boom, everyone began shouting words that Logan didn’t fucking tried to listen on and decided to just attack her from behind. It might piss Scott off but it’s not like he cares. What he didn’t expect was, other than beach sized balls that can crush fucking palm trees, she can make it bigger.

_Great._

“Everyone take cover!” 

Was what Logan last heard before Ms. Boom fucking Boom threw that mega-sized shit at them. Logan would thank the gods if they’re fucking real, because by sheer dumb luck, he realized Scott’s plan before extra damage can ensue.

When Slim said to take cover, Logan didn’t follow that sanovabitch order because the fucking kid ran up front and removed his damn visor causing raw concussive beams to collide with the motherfucking huge plasma ball. Logan was quick to tackle Summers by the waist and cover him up when an explosive force erupted.

The strong force threw them farther away and Logan did his best to cushion the kid’s head. The impact when they hit the ground made Logan bit down hard on his lip because that fucking hurts. 

“The girl,” Scott moaned under him. 

Logan completely ignored him and immediately sat up, pulling Summers with him, already checking if the he had any serious injury that needs an even serious tending. Other than a few bruised ribs and a bleeding forehead, Scott seemed to be fine, “I’m okay, Wolverine, go check on her. If my calculations where on point, the explosion would be enough to render her unconscious, subduing her—why are you looking at me like that?”

Yeah, Logan’s pissed, a vein was probably showing up on his forehead. This son of a bitch placed his life in danger again. If Logan wasn't there to pull him away, the kid should've been dead already. Grabbing the collar of Scott’s uniform, Logan bashed his forehead against his and immediately made the younger mutant limp, his head hanging backwards with his mouth slightly opened.

_The fuck?_

Using his right hand, Logan gave a light slap on Scott’s left cheek.

Nothing.

He slapped him again, twice and with a little more force.

Nothing.

“Cyclops?” He found himself quietly saying, still nothing. No reaction, but only languid chest movements from Scott’s breathing, “Ah _fuck._ ”

Scratching his forehead, Logan hauled Scott up and flung him over his shoulder. He curled his arm around his waist tightly, feeling the kid’s arm swung behind his back, before marching back to the team. He spotted Angel carrying the unconscious girl back to the Stratojet like some fucking diva he is.

“Don’t tell me you finally managed to kill Cyclops?” Peter asked him the moment Logan was within reasonable distance from them, “I want to say congratulations but there’s really no one to lead us right now.”

“No, but I was tempted because of that shit he pulled,” he grouched before grabbing a hold of Kurt’s shoulder. The action itself was enough for the German to teleport them inside the confines of the god forsaken jet. Since Scott’s currently unconscious, Storm would be the one managing the controls, and honestly, Logan’s not looking forward to it.

Discarding the kid on one of the sits, Logan began tightly tying him up with seatbelts, pulling at it to check the durability and, if ever this shit crashed, it’s easy enough to break through with his claws.

“He knew you’ll be there to catch him,” Jeanie suddenly said from behind him.

Looking around, he saw that everyone else was busy for take-off, “What am I, a fucking trampoline?” he said returning to give this girl a glare.

Ignoring the statement, Jean took the seat beside Scott and started zipping herself up, “He just became very much aware that you have his back no matter how many times you disobey his orders.”

Logan physically and mentally froze, was he that obvious? How long has this kid been aware of it? He didn’t say those questions out loud, but either she read his mind or that his face shows a lot.

“You think Slim won’t notice how you constantly volunteer on his missions?” Jean said with a smile. It’s not totally a lie nor the truth, ever since Scott came into realization about his feelings, he became cautious about Logan’s behaviour of just being always there even though it was specifically pointed out that it’s a solo mission. Somehow, Logan _being there_ was engraved inside his head since then.

Due to the sudden mission and Scott’s unexpected situation, the farewell party was decided to be moved for the next two days. This made Logan reconsider if he wanted to join the party or just head out and get smashed. He chose the latter, he’s not really looking forward on seeing Slim trying to blend onto the background because of his huge introverted ass.

It was past midnight when Logan decided that he had enough and should start heading back soon. It was cold and he could hear the owl hooting a few fucking feet away from him when he had the sudden urge to pee. Looking over the number of flowerbeds lined up at the side of the mansion, Logan shrugged and chose the nearest one to take a leak on.

He was in the middle of pulling out his junk when the window in front of him opened up and Scott was suddenly looking down on him, a red toothbrush in his mouth and thick white foam covering up his upper and lower lip.

And okay, Logan’s dick twitched and he’s pretty sure it’s going to be full on sailor if he stared longer. Did he walked away? No, he didn’t even remove his hand away from his junk.

There was a short moment where none of them moved before Scott made a quick turn to spit out on the sink before looking back at Logan while whipping away the foam on his mouth.

Cue another dick twitch.

“If you’re going to pee, go over there,” he said while pointing at the flowerbed five windows down, “The exhaust fan here isn’t working and I don’t want the room smelling like your urine.”

Well wasn’t that a mood killer? 

Frowning, Logan pulled out his dick and continued to urinate causing for Scott to immediately close the window shut, for a moment Logan thought he was flustered. It’s not like this was the kid’s first time seeing it, what was he going to lose? Unconsciously rubbing his words over his jeans, Logan finished up and zipped his pants shut before turning to head towards the front doors.

The minute he stepped foot inside, Logan noticed how most of the graduated students where sprawled by the den and first floor kitchen. Apparently, Scott’s the only person who actually chose to get ready for bed. Logan didn’t know if he should be affronted or surprised.

Days continued on like normal, except now that Warren’s gone because apparently college is necessary for pretty rich boy like him. Logan would like to say that nothing’s different from out of the ordinary, except that it wasn’t, one minute he just came back after a good night out and the next he woke up smelling pheromones because he forgot that Scott’s young and healthy, he should’ve already expected this one coming from a mile away.

Sitting rigidly up on his bed, he turned and stared at the brunette sleeping peacefully at the other side of the room, completely unaware of the scent he was emitting. Running a frustrated hand on his face, Logan didn’t know if he should just flung the kid out the window or shove his tongue down his throat.

He’s getting hard, _painfully_ hard. With an annoyed grunt, Logan launched off the bed and marched towards the bathroom to finish some business. After relieving himself, Logan decided to head out and ruin the rest of the day’s training because he’s currently not a happy man for waking up this early.

This went on for a couple more days, a couple more _frustrating_ days, and Logan was just sitting on the side of his bed, body leaned forward while his elbows rests on his knees. Trying to keep his dick in his pants but couldn’t seem to have the heart in him to leave the room, because, it, just, smell, so, damn, _good_.

Logan’s head snapped up when Scott woke up and the younger mutant uttered a very low _not again_ before slowly sitting back up. It took Scott a little over a second to turn around and found out that Logan was looking at him. Giving him this look that definitely says _‘I know you’ve been having wet dreams recently and I also know you’re hard as a rock right now,’_.

Did Logan looked away? No, the evil side of him wanted to see Scott’s reaction, at least let him have this, he’s been cock-blocking himself for the past week.

Scott, started to pull the thick blanket closer to him, fingers clutching at the warm clothe and bundling it up on himself, most specifically on his crotch. Logan raised his left brow, causing a very faint colour of red to bloom on Scott's cheeks. Deciding that he teased the kid for far too long, Logan did one last smirk before standing up and leaving the room, giving Scott the chance to make a run towards the bathroom.

Walking down on the hallway, Logan went and barged into an empty restroom.

* * *

Scott’s officially nineteen years old and is currently a student teacher, much like the other X-Men who decided to stay here and not enter college. Reminding Logan that Scott’s now an adult and yet he kept on reasoning to himself that there’s still the word ‘teen’ in his age.

Nineteen is still a kid, you can’t change his mind on that. Twenty is like a hairline from still being a teen. Twenty-one’s good, he’s fine with that. Logan’s making sense, he’s making so much damn sense right now he should probably reward himself with a fucking bottle of tequila. 

But he didn’t, he’s currently at front door of the school, sitting on the steps of the front porch while nursing a moosehead because it’s Scott’s birthday and he’s not planning to watch Jean or Peter or Ororo or whoever’s fucking available in that damn room to kiss him for the purpose of ‘experience’, then brood at the corner of the room because _he_ wants that.

This soulmate shit’s fucking annoying. In this whole goddamn universe, why him? There are a lot of other mutants out there who thinks having a soulmate’s like a damn fairy tale, why didn’t the universe gave it to them? 

It’s not that Logan didn’t want Scott, it’s already hardwired to his head that no matter what he do, he’ll be drawn to him like a moth to a flame. He doesn’t have a damn problem with that, okay maybe there was. Why him? Why a person who couldn’t remember bat shit about his life and who also doesn’t know what he’ll do with his life have to be stuck with Summers? Kid could have a break by having Jean as his damn soulmate.

Anyone’s a lot better than him.

Finishing off his drink and crumpling it with his fist, Logan threw it far away from him before grabbing for another one in his ice bucket. Base from the number of melted ice, he’s been here for quite a while.

Someone got out of the front door and Logan didn’t have to turn around to know that it’s Scott, he knew that scent from anywhere, memorized it even. Other than that crisp clean smell and maybe even a tinge of sweat from Scott, there’s no mistaken that he also caught a whiff of alcohol. Apparently the kid didn’t wait for another two years, the fuck’s wrong with Xavier?

Logan ain’t dealing with this shit right now, so with a grunt, he made a move to leave.

“Don’t,” Scott instantly said as if already aware of the reason why he’s leaving, “I just had a sip. I’m not drunk,”

The older man gave it some serious thought before scooting a few spaces away from the kid, at least he didn’t leave. Not really knowing what else to do, he took out one of his many mooseheads and gave it to Scott, arching an eyebrow in the process, as if daring the kid to take it.

Scott stared at the can for a couple of second before accepting it and just held the beer with both his hands, “The party’s overwhelming me a bit,” he said, and lookie here, suddenly someone’s talkative. Logan wondered if this kid’s a lightweight, “I just need a few minutes to myself before I join in again.”

Logan gave him a look, because a few minutes to himself doesn’t mean he has to be here with him.

“I don’t mind your company,” Scott answered, placing his unopened can of beer between them, “You don’t talk to me so I’m basically alone right now.”

Logan hummed, because that actually made sense, before he also placed his drink down between them. 

“Logan?” The kid called again, Logan grunted as a form of response, telling him that he's listening, “I know we're always not on the same page. And I know you’re more into doing stuff on your own, but…” Scott adjusted from his sit, “but you’re currently an X-Man, so I’d appreciate it if you could at least try.”

Logan’s not really in the mood to listen to his lousy speech, not when the kid’s smelling this good beside him. There’s little control he has over himself for the past few days. So he said nothing and did nothing.

“Well that’s worth a shot,” Scott mumbled before grabbing one of the can between them to drink on. 

Here’s the thing, Logan didn’t remember Scott opening his beer earlier.

It took the younger mutant two gulps to realize, and Logan clearly _heard_ him freeze before he slowly stared down on the beer he was holding, “This isn’t mine,” he said before turning to look at Logan and hesitantly placed the can back down with a soft clunk.

“That wasn’t my intention to happen,” Scott said, “I swear.”

And Logan tried to ignore that, tried not to think of the fact that his lips were just— god damn it what part of not thinking about it did his dick did not understand? Before he knows it, Logan launched himself off and found Scott on his back looking at Logan who was on top of him, the kid’s head between his arms while both of their breathing became heavy.

“Logan?” Scot asked, voice low as if testing the waters. Not knowing if this was a good or a bad thing.

 _Shit_.

Balling his hands into a tight fist, Logan did his damn best not to just have his way inside the kid’s pants. But with Scott looking up at him like this made it hard for him to move away, or to move at all.

“Peter’s right,” Scott muttered, “The right amount of Alcohol can boosts once confidence.”

And before Logan could understand what the kid meant by that, Scott pushed up and slotted their mouths together. Logan had a second to think, a second to choose if he should push the kid away or just go with it and kiss him back.

The sudden moan he elicited from Scott was enough for him to realize that he chose the latter. Logan cushioned Scott’s head as he lowered it down, pushing his tongue through the barrier of teeth’s causing for the younger mutant to bite down due to surprise.

Scott made a sound that told Logan he’s probably making the situation worse. Trying to make him feel relaxed, Logan said nothing and continued on coaxing Scott’s stiff mouth, pushing his tongue deeper, trying to curl it against Scott’s. The noise Scott made told him that Jean didn’t taught him this.

When Logan sucked on his tongue, Scott’s hand went to grab Logan’s nape as if unable to choose if he should pull him in or keep him there. Turns out Jean also didn’t taught him this one.

Slotting one knee between Scott’s damn long legs, Logan had felt the kid’s half hard dick, he gave it a curious nudge and Scott immediately stopped their lip lock to bury his head on Logan’s collar bone, grunting while unconsciously grinding his crotch down. Making Logan wonder if the kid ever touched himself all those times waking up with a hard-on, or was he just taking cold showers to fix it?

Scott sighing and pulling him close, clutching his shirt, fist shaking and breathing heavily, Logan’s pants started to tighten uncomfortably which was dangerous, very, very dangerous. Burying his nose on Scott’s hair, he took in a deep breath and revelled in on his scent. The smell of sweet arousal was making his dick harder and Scott underneath him, writhing, wasn’t making him think straight.

Hands itching to feel skin, Logan’s free hand found its way under Scott’s shirt, feeling the hot skin and moulded muscle on his palm. Those weekly training surely paid off real good.

The sudden cheer from indoors made both heads to snap up and realize where they were; outside the fucking school. 

“Your bed’s bigger,” Scott breathed.

Logan growled and took a fistful of Scott’s shirt before hauling both of them up. He didn’t know how they managed to get to their room without anybody finding them, some celestial being must be on their side then. They tumbled inside the room, with their mouths duelling and hands flailing, trying to remove the other’s clothing, throwing it on the floor in their haste.

Aware of why Scott was wearing an arm band, Logan didn’t made any move on removing it, he didn’t want to know how he said his first words to Scott, not when he’s not even ready on when he’ll say it. Logan was mindful to keep the lights close, chances of Scott able to see his words were low since he’s not planning to let the kid blow him (not that Scott even know how), but it’s better to be safe than sorry.

Impatient, Logan had recently just opened Scott’s zipper and his hand was already slipping inside to grab a hold of the kid’s hard cock. Under him, Scott stiffened and draw in a deep breath, Logan took this as a sign to ran his tongue at that sensitive spot where neck and shoulder meet while slowly palming him.

There’s a muffled noise that told him Scott was trying not to moan out loud. Suddenly wanting him to get louder, Logan pushed the kid’s jeans roughly, spat on his hand and started funnelling Scott’s cock, the hot liquid was enough to make Logan’s hand to slip up and down with ease.

“Ah…” Scott moan, head pressing down on the pillow while his hips started to cant upwards, chasing Logan’s hot palm.

Another kiss and Logan closed his eyes, letting his senses swum because damn it this felt too good. He was dizzy, and drowning with it. He wanted more, more skin, more touching, more of Scott’s heated moans. Logan wanted to make him cry, and that sounded so fucked up.

Sitting up on his hunches, Scott protested from the sudden distance but stopped the minute he saw Logan removing his jeans, throwing it across the floor before diving back down, kissing Scott and slipping his tongue in his mouth without hesitation. Scott moaned loader and curled their tongues together liked they’re used to it, like they’ve already done this together a millions times before.

With his right hand, Logan stretched it out towards his night stand and fumble for the second drawer, blindly searching for some lube that he used to jerk off, cursing silently when it rolled away from his hand. With an annoyed grunt, he snatched the bottle and thank you whoever is up there. Logan made a move for Scott to turn around but the kid ignored him.

“No,” he said, face flushed and still breathing hard, “We face each other or none at all.”

And Logan wanted to argue, to open his mouth and tell him that it’s better on all fours, but he didn’t. Lubing up his fingers, he leaned down and kissed him, Scott met him halfway, tongue already sticking out like an invitation. Logan coaxed Scott’s legs to spread wider, he could feel his heartbeat quickening when his finger circled around Scott’s puckered anus.

Kissing his shoulder, Logan nipped at Scott’s skin affectionately, making the kid shiver while trying to make him feel relax before slipping in one of his finger down to the second knuckle. Scott moaned and his hips hardened, his ass was suddenly trying to swallow Logan’s digit deeper, and god damn it, it’s tight, _very_ tight and yet it felt so easy.

Scott let his head fall back, losing himself in the dual sensation of Logan’s finger and his coaxing tongue. Trailing hot saliva down his neck while massaging his opening nice and easy. Curious, Logan swiped his tongue on one of Scott’s nipple, earning a spine arch and making him whimper.

With a digit still inside, using his palm, Logan massaged Scott’s balls making squirm and whimper, shivering with pleasure. Logan nuzzled his head, relaxing him again when Scott’s heartbeat went up. He needed the kid to relax so that entering him would be less painful.

Feeling that Scott loosened up a bit, he slipped in another finger and the kid moaned from the sudden stretch, nonetheless he doesn’t sound pained. Trying to find something, Logan sucked on Scott’s shoulder while he crooked his finger, searching for the kid’s prostate, aroused and swollen, it was easy to find. 

Logan pressed on it and Scott's breath hitched.

Another press and Scott moaned even louder this time, his hand curling under Logan’s armpit and over his shoulder, pulling the older man closer, not wanting to let go. Logan rubbed and pressed on that same spot making Scott’s thighs to quiver, he was panting hard and clutching Logan spasmodically, canting his hips and trying to chase the pleasure. 

“Please…, please, please…” Scott breathed into Logan’s neck, kissing him there, begging for more and yet not knowing what he want.

Logan’s dick twitched and he let out a growl, surprising Scott in the process.

Pulling his fingers out, Logan slicked himself up and turned them both over, so that Scott’s the one straddling him. He did this for the sake of giving the kid the control whether he can take it all in yet. As far as Logan’s aware, Scott’s a virgin.

Guiding Scott’s hips, Logan’s cock found the entrance and let Scott push back down. There was resistance and Scott arched and gasped, gripping Logan’s shoulder, clutching at it tighter while the head went it. 

“Wait, wait… a-ah…” Scott breathed, letting out jagged little gasps that sounded like a mixture of pain and pleasure.

Logan rubbed Scott’s shaking thighs soothingly while helping him carry his weight if ever his legs give away. Looking at the flushed face and pinked lips, Logan licked his own lips, touched the side of Scott’s face and launched up for a hungry kiss, tongue swiping over his teeth and the roof of his mouth, making Scott moan and forget about the dick passing through his ring of muscle. Logan slowly nudged his dick in and out, stopping when he felt Scott’s grip on him tighten. Rubbing circles on Scott’s hip, Logan adjusted his position and hit Scott’s prostate, earning him a sobbed moan before wrapping his arms around Logan’s head, burying his face on his shoulder.

The visor felt uncomfortable on his skin, but he didn’t want to break their current position, Scott’s too tense and his skin was already slick with sweat. Kid need’s to relax.

Scott was breathing heavily on his shoulder, “Give me minute, please, I just—,” Logan gave another nudge on his prostate, “-ah… Ahhhh,” he moaned, hugging the older man tighter.

Logan didn’t know why he placed a kiss on the side of Scott’s face, but he tried to forget about that by using his other hand to funnel Scott’s cock. He gave out a twitch and moaned out Logan’s name before canting his hips, pushing into Logan’s dick in process and with Logan feeling the wet heat envelop him entirely.

Logan threw his head up and let out a breathy moan, doing his best not to say a word while feeling Scott’s sweet hole sucking him deeper. Jesus fuck it felt good, so fucking good, so fucking easy. He can’t help but pepper Scott’s neck with kisses, he might deny doing this later but who’s going to know?

Scott’s legs were shaking, he obviously can’t carry his weight anymore, and his dick’s already hard, the head was swollen red and precum’s dripping out continously. Logan gave it an experimental and light scratch with his blunt nail, the kid's reaction was to whimper and squirm, Scott's deliciously _sensitive_.

“Don’t,” he said, “Please, just… I can’t,” 

Logan knew what he meant, he rolled them over and Scott fell down on his back easily, his skin flushed and sweaty. Logan pulled Scott’s hips closer, pressing his dick on his prostate harder resulting a moan and head pressing hard on the pillow, baring his neck while fisting the sheet.

Mindful of his heavy weight, Logan started of with a slow rhythm, hitting that spot within him and feeling Scott’s ass sucking him deeper. Logan tried not to get lost into the sensation. Then they were kissing and fucking, with Scott grabbing him and pulling him in deeper, moving against him in a way that was demanding and begging at once. Logan kissed and kissed and kissed him while Scott flexed and gasp and clutched hard enough to bruise.

He didn’t know who wormed their hand into who, but Logan just noticed how their fingers were suddenly intertwined tightly together. Then Logan realized how easy this was, how easy everything was if none of them was thinking too much about it. And of course it should be easy, it’s meant to be easy. Logan thrust harder and Scott arched, his mouth opening but no words come out.

Logan kept on kissing him, every time he could reach his mouth, every chance he got, and Scott would respond to it, always, reaching up to grab his hair, mouthing Logan’s lower lip before their tongues met with unexpected tenderness. Scott looking beautiful as his head slammed back down on the pillow, flexing his hips and not wanting the pleasure to stop, wanting to feel Logan’s dick press hard on his prostate, making him moan and gasp. Logan bracing himself and not letting his inner animal let loose, feeling the tight heat suck him in.

He felt himself close to finishing, desperate, Logan started pumping Scott’s cock faster, harder, making the kid sob and cry out from being too sensitive. Logan pressed his body down, but not his whole weight, and sucked on Scott’s skin, pumping his dick and pushing in and running over his prostate until his ass started to tighten even more, sucking Logan in and the older man needed to bite his lip not to just ram inside.

For a moment, there was nothing but movement, trying to reach that sweet release, hovering right on the brink until Scott tried to say something but couldn’t because his orgasm tore right through him, uttering a moan as Logan followed right after, pressing his face on the crook of his neck. The pleasure arrowed through him and tore the hot fluid, he wasn’t aware of Scott’s semen coating his hand, he was too busy kissing his skin, thrusting in slowly and milking himself dry.

They stayed like that for a minute, holding each other until their heart rate reverted back down to normal.

* * *

Logan sat on the bed, wide awake while Scott was sleeping soundlessly beside him, covers drawn up to his shoulders because Logan thought it might be cold tonight.

 _What happens now?_ was Scott’s last words before Logan laid a hand over his head, ushering him to sleep, and sleep he did.

What happens now? Turning to look at the sleeping boy next to him, he watched at how young Scott looked, how he still have a life ahead of him. And Logan’s still here, still don’t know what he was before, who he was, what’s his real or even full name. He doesn’t even know his age, he don’t know if he still have a family out there. Still a mess and still searching.

What happens now? What is he going to do? What should he do?

Silently, Logan got up and opened his closet.

* * *

Scott woke up the next morning with no one beside him and Logan’s closet wide open, empty. There was no note, no parting message, not even a single clue why he left. There was nothing but the feeling of being left alone.

“This is what happens,” Scott told himself.


	3. I Don't Talk To Him

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you flightinflame for beta reading this chapter! It means a lot!!!!!!

Logan’s been off the X-Men’s radar for quite some years, at least that’s what he hoped the team knew about. While in the middle of his soul searching adventure crap he’s currently in, all throughout the time he’s on the road, travelling, Logan would ‘accidentally’ come across one of their missions and would try to conceal himself away from them, hiding within the crowd, watching from behind like the person he never was.

There have been a couple of chances where the urge to join them was strong, especially with Scott just a few meters away from him, smelling the fucking same—crisp and clean. But instead of helping them out, Logan would turn around and start walking away. Daring himself not to look back, it’s not like they needed him out there, the team’s pretty good and doing well, obviously that sanovabitch training regime paid off real good for them to do this well in battle.

A tiny part of Logan knows that the team’s aware of his presence near the area, yet they just decided not to approach him since he left the mansion on his own accord. That, or maybe everyone’s aware that he banged Summers then left him the next day like a fucking coward he is when it comes to confronting this crapy thing called _feelings_. He knew this was on him, the fault was his and there’s no one else to blame.

He tends to search for Summers most of the time whenever he lay down on whatever place he’s sleeping for the current time. He regretted leaving, really, he just realized that when he’s already miles away from the mansion and had obviously stated that he left when his closet was fucking empty. Obviously the wound was now there, he left it new and fresh, it’s just a matter of time before it became a permanent mark.

Knowing Scott, he’ll probably push that memory at the far back of his mind, determined not to let it get to him and ruin his mental state. What a fucking joke, kid’s on a highway towards there already, or he’s probably even at the destination especially with what he’s been the whole time Logan was his roommate. Kid’s always on the clock, never misses a damn thing, he eats because it’s the time to eat, not because he wants to.

And what the fuck is up with soup? What’s so great about that? How come Scott can eat that shit more times than he could count? Not that he knows anything but Scott probably has no idea how to fucking chop an onion, not that Logan’s bad at the kitchen, at least he can make a decent food within two slices of bread. There’s a fine line between cooking and making a double decker ham sandwich.

With a jerk of his head, Logan found himself quickly sobering up. Lately, his drinking habits had been making him feel drunk for at least a few seconds before his healing factor flushes out the alcohol.

He’s currently wasting his time in some dingy old bar in whatever place he’s in, the place looks cheap but the beer ain’t that bad, he could make do with this. How long has it been since he last saw the X-Men? Probably too long, lately, rather than staying in to have a short look, Logan has found himself quickly running away from the area. Maybe that’s because it’s getting way harder for him to stay away, maybe if he now caught even a short glimpse of the kid, he might find himself down the rabbit hole again.

Not like he ever left.

The annoying part of trying to stay away was that he can’t. Logan can’t and can never stay away even if he wants to. That’s how this shit works, that’s how the freaking universe wanted it to be. No matter where he goes and how far he hides, one way or the other he’ll always find himself crossing paths with that stick-up the ass boy scout because _he_ hasn’t said his fair share of words yet.

Yeah, being on the road this long made him learn about this thing called ‘soulmates’ a lot more. What a joy.

Why can’t he just go back since he oh-so wanted to see Scott again? Easier said than done. If he ever decided to go back, at least let this shit-show of a universe to give him reason, a reasonable one, one that doesn’t involve him explaining to the Professor that he wanted back because he missed someone or that the mansion was the closest home he got for the past whatever fucking years he’s on the road.

Finishing off another bottle of beer, Logan was this close on yelling at the high heavens to give him one damn good reason to go back because he helluva needed one before he sobered up and realized how stupid that might’ve looked if he did so.

“This is all yer fault ya fuckin’ dick, yer such a fuckin’ mess,” he told himself, as if wallowing in self-pity would make him feel good.

The door made a crashing sound signalling that someone entered the pub, fighting. Giving no shits about the newcomer, Logan signalled the bartender for another round by raising a few of his fingers. He was supposed to lay low for a minute, get shit faced before hitting the road again, planning not to get involved with those pricks. But he’s not in the mood, so when a petit person bumped on the back, he didn’t hesitate to give that kid a blow on the face.

It was quick, Logan felt somewhat woozy for a second before he got a hold of his bearings. Okay, no more drinks for the day.

Turning around, he cracked his knuckles and decided a few swings on someone’s head seemed nice. He’s really starting to miss the Danger Room. There was obviously a team building up around them, Logan, however, works on his own by beating the shit out of anyone who’s even planning to lay a finger on his face.

When a calloused hand landed a firm grip on his shoulder, he flipped the guy over his shoulder and pinned him to the ground, fist raised up as if about to give the guy a nice hit when—

“Logan?” the stranger said.

Logan paused and tilted his head to side, wondering who the fuck this person is and how he knew him when small dainty fingers wormed around his head. In an instant, Logan could feel his energy seeping away from him, no, it was as if his life was getting vacuumed by these fingers. He can’t move, can’t breathe, he felt like everything was being sucked away from him.

“Rogue, let go!” the guy under him ordered.

Logan’s face was suddenly freed and he found himself crumpling to the ground, taking in deep jagged breaths, “What,” he started, “the fuck?”

“Let’s get out of here,” the stranger said instead before hauling Logan away from the bar fight through the back door. He doesn’t fucking know who this guy was but he’s currently in no position to deny the suggestion. Logan later found himself in a dark alley with this kid who had their face hidden in a black hood and this guy who supposedly knew him.

“Al’right, who the fuck are ya?” He asked the minute he got a hold of his breath.

The person in question only crooked an eyebrow before blue scales started to wrap around him, changing his height and form.

“Yev got to be fuckin’ kiddin’ me,” Logan muttered as soon as he saw Raven standingin front of him, looking deadly and exactly the same since the last time he saw her, “Are ya following me?”

She scoffed, “Oh Please, Logan, you being in the same bar as us was just pure coincidence,” she stated, “Meeting you here was the last thing I expected,”

Logan leaned back on the brick wall and crossed his arms over his chest, “Where the hell’s yer partner in crime?” he asked after noticing that Erik doesn’t seem to be anywhere near them before noticing the skinny kid beside them, completely quiet, he gave the kid a heavy glare, “Unless yev been swimming in the fountain of youth,”

“Leave her alone, Logan, she’s not Erik,” she informed her, “He’s temporarily absent,”

Logan raised an eyebrow, “Oh yeah?”

Raven let out an exhale, “The Avengers managed to hinder our plans on rescuing one of our members at Ryker’s Island—”

“Ya got yer assed kicked by the Avengers,” Logan stated plainly, translating those fancy words into more easily understandable ones.

“ _AND_ only Rogue and I managed to escape,” she continued, ignoring the older man but had obviously heard what he said especially with how she emphasized the word ‘and’.

“The hell are ya doing playing under the Avenger’s area?” Logan asked, pulling out a cigarette and a lighter from his pocket. Putting it between his lips and lighting it up before taking a huge puff, “Got some guts to pester the earth’s mightiest heroes.”

Apparently Raven took the message not too well, not like Logan was being nice around her, “At least Erik and I have been doing stuff for the Brotherhood, what have you been up to these past years? Last I check you’re off Charles’s radar. Is that your version of hiding?”

Logan’s eye gave out an irritated twitch, “Ya mind yer own business, I’ll mind mine,”

Raven tilted her chin up as if to show her satisfaction before looking at the kid she’s with, she stared at her for a second long before letting out an exhale that told Logan he’s not going to like whatever she had in mind, “Logan I’m going to need to ask you a favour,”

“What kind?”

“I need you to bring Marie to Charles,” said, her head jerking towards the kid standing beside them.

Logan’s almost got choked, _almost_ , smoke was stuttered twice out of his nose and mouth, “Excuse me?”, first of all, Logan’s not a baby sitter nor a fucking taxi driver to transport some kid he barely even know at Westchester, heck he doesn’t even know where the hell he is since his map’s been long gone somewhere in Idaho.

“I’ve been meaning to bring her to Charles but—”

“Ya pissed off the Avengers,” he muttered.

“ _BUT_ due to some circumstances, we’ve accidentally lost track,” she continued.

“What kind of circumstances?”

Raven stared at him competitively for a finite amount of time before exhaling through her nose, as if to say that she might as well tell him anyway, “Captain Marvel,”

“Ya pissed off that bitch?” Logan said rather amazed but not surprised.

“I didn’t,” she replied with a roll of her eyes, “Though I would be glad to,” she added, sounding as if she had let a chance slip away through her fingers. What is up with that woman wanting to pick fights?

Logan eyed the kid up and down, remembering his earlier encounter with her, the story’s not that unbelievable, “Yev got some balls for a kid,” he said before eyeing the huge cloth covering half of her face, “What’s with the cape?”

“For a master tracker like you, you don’t seem to have any idea what it means to hide do you?” Raven butted in, arms crossed over her scale covered breasts, looking as if she’s talking to someone quite incompetent, “I’m not here to chit chat, Logan, and I’m definitely not taking no as an answer,”

Logan found himself scratching his nape, “Look, Bub, I don’t have any reasons to go back there.”

She tipped her head to the right and squinted her eyes at him, “I don’t see that as a problem,” She started, hand falling gracefully on the curve of her hip, “Since I’m already giving you one,”

And Logan suddenly just wanted to let out a loud and bitter laugh because wasn’t this what he wanted? He wanted a damn good reason to step foot at the mansion, but now that the opportunity’s at hand’s reach, his guts suddenly wanted to take it all back and return to the pub, drink and not let anyone disturb him.

With a grunt, Logan started patting his pockets for the keys of the car he’s currently using, a beaten old pickup truck with its paint already faded and chipped, “What ‘bout ya?” he asked her instead.

Raven gave him a smile, a menacingly one, “I have some unfinished business to do,”

A few minutes later, Logan found himself driving across whatever border he is in Oregon with a teenager sitting quietly beside him. She removed the cloak covering most of her face to reveal white streaks of hair against her brown ones. According to Raven, she found her alone near the borders of Mississippi, running away from home due to her mutation that manifested, subduing her ex-boyfriend in a coma.

Ya know, common mutant dilemma.

It’s always the same, kids running away from home or getting abandoned because of being a mutant, discriminated against by their folks because of being ‘different’. If only Logan had a dollar whenever he heard this kind of shit-show of a story, he’d probably be fucking rich. Accepted his ass, no matter where he goes and how long he’s been here, it’s always the same, mutants would always run and hide.

Rogue or Marie or Anna or whatever name she has, was sitting quietly on her side of the car, looking through the window, watching as the clouds pass over their heads. Logan’s no geography wiz but he’s pretty sure this is going to be a fucking long ride. A few minutes in, he noticed the kid rubbing her elbows for quite a number of times. Logan knew what it meant, he’s been doing that quite a lot but with his hip.

“I’m stopping for gas,” Logan announced after noticing his low gas tank, “Need anything?”

The kid shook her head, “Ah’m fine,” she answered and Logan didn’t ask for more.

After managing to find a gas station, Logan decided to buy a few snacks and a box of cheap cigarettes for the coming hours. He had his fair share of spending time with teenagers years ago, he’s pretty sure kids her age tends to eat a lot, either that or she’s on a diet, a lot of girls have been doing that.

After paying for the gas and the things he bought, Logan opened the door to the driver’s seat and immediately noticed Rogue hastily pulling her left sleeve back down to her wrist, hiding the words away from Logan’s sight. Pretending that he didn’t notice anything unusual, Logan hopped on his seat and started the engine.

It was a few minutes down the road when the kid opened her mouth, it’s not like Logan wasn’t expecting it, it’s just that there aren’t many mutants with soulmates who you can talk to about it.

“Do you have one too?” she asked, eyes averted by looking out the window.

Based on the scent surrounding the car, kid was obviously tense and anxious, not really a great time to pretend to be deaf. He knew what she meant of course, he ain’t that stupid not to get the gist, “Yeah,” he answered truthfully.

Maybe he’s just tired of hiding the fact that he had a soulmate, or maybe he thought answering her truthfully would be better to lighten up the mood. But Logan’s pretty sure of one thing, this was the first time he said he had someone, someone meant for him which still sounded like a bunch of crap to be honest. But it felt nice, it felt nice not to ignore it anymore.

Logan felt the kid turn around and look at him, eyes suddenly wide with interest, “H-how did it go? What did you tell them?”

Memories of his time with Scott resurfaced inside his head, times that he was this close on uttering words in front of his face but never let it happen, “I don’t talk to him,”

The way her shoulders slowly fell down told Logan she understood what he meant. She leant back down on the backrest and rubbed her left elbow, “Ah haven’t met mine yet,” she told him.

Logan knew about today’s generation and how they handle their soulmates, so really it wasn’t a surprise. Before, people would wait. Now, kids these days would want to experiment with other people first before they met their other half. The change of people’s mind-set was enough proof that Logan’s been away for such a long time.

“Does your soulmate know?” she asked again when the silence stretched on.

“No,”

“Why?”

Logan decided not to answer anymore, not because he didn’t know the answer himself, but because the kid knew quite a lot about himself compared to all of the people he’d met through the years, probably even decades if his guts told him he was right. To be honest there wasn’t much to tell about himself, and he’d like to keep the remaining facts a secret.

Rogue got the message as soon as Logan didn’t answer her question. A few moments later, with her head pressed against the glass window, there was languid movements of her chest, it informed the older man that she’d fallen asleep. Good, because he’s not in the mood to talk anyway.

The trip had taken longer than what Logan anticipated because of two reasons, one, after managing to afford a map, he realized he missed a turn, and two, he wasn’t informed that the kid’s mutation’s a lot more fucked up than he thought.

Rogue apparently can’t control her shit yet.

“Ah’m sorry! Ah’m sorry!” she immediately apologized after taking a firm grip of Logan’s wrist when he tried to wake her up from a nightmare, “Why’d you tried t’ wake me up in the first place?”

Logan was taking in a deep breath and had his head pressed down on the steering wheel, the car was at the edge of the road with black streaks behind them due to Logan being temporarily incapable of managing the wheel.

“The fuck was I supposed to do?” Logan snapped back, “Ya didn’t tell me ya can’t turn the damn thing off,” finally feeling like he had his old strength back, Logan leant back in his chair and rubbed furiously at his face, “Don’tcha have something to cover those hands up?”

“Ah lost them at the pub,” she replied quite apologetically.

Logan sighed heavily, “Let’s go buy a pair then,” he stated before grabbing a hold of the keys that were still plugged in, about to put the engine back to life again and hit the road as soon as possible.

“It’s a mansion, inn’t it?” Rogue suddenly said, “Where we’re going? Lots of kids like us?” Logan paused and stared at her, wondering how she suddenly knew about that, his face must’ve shown a lot because she opened her mouth as if answering the unsaid question, “Ah saw when ah touched you, it’s part of what ah can do,” she draw her knees up and wrapped her arms around it, “Ah can’t control it,”

“Yet,” Logan stated, earning him a look, “Ya can’t control it yet so stop moping, everyone went through that shit, yer not the only one.”

“Was that supposed ‘t make me feel better?”

“I ain’t really one for niceties, kid,” he replied, turning the keys over one more time and finally managing to bring the engine back to life again.

“Does it hurt?” She asked again, looking like any curious kid around her age, “Whenever they pop out?”

Logan gave it a thought, “Every time,”

* * *

He was staring.

Logan was staring at the massive school in front of him, he could hear a bunch of new kids playing around and if he concentrates enough, he could pick up countless lessons being discussed in some of the classrooms. He’s really back, after all these years, Logan had finally stepped foot within the school grounds.

It felt strange.

“Logan?” Marie called beside him, “Are you—”

Before she could finish her sentence, the front door banged open and standing in front of them was Jubilee, with now short hair, eye burning yellow jacket and a pair of pink shades that looked more like a block, staring blankly at him for a couple of second before a huge toothy smile plastered over her face.

“Wolvie!” she yelled before diving in for a hug.

Logan stood still, awkward and quite confused because who the fuck is Wolvie? That better not be his damn nickname from her because he won’t be a happy man.

“Who ya callin’ Wolvie?” Logan asked, slowly prying Jubilee’s arms away from him, giving her this squinted look that did not faze her, as usual. She grew up, changed even. That’s to be expected.

“You, duh,” she stated as if to point out the obvious, “The Prof informed the team about your arrival, but I gotta do something downtown—Hi I’m Jubilation Lee,” she greeted Marie while making a scout salute gesture towards her, obviously her attitude hasn’t changed so he guessed that’s a plus.

“Rogue,” she nodded.

“Neat name,” Jubilee replied before sidestepping around them and making her way out of the school grounds, looking behind her, she did a final wave, “Sorry, I’m in a hurry!” she yelled.

That was… rather anticlimactic. Not that he’s expecting more but, he had been gone for quite a while. Rubbing his nape, Logan jerked his head towards the front door, gesturing for them to head inside. Marie didn’t need to be told twice and followed Logan.

Nothing pretty much changed over the course of years he was gone, kids are still crawling around the school, and Logan’s not being metaphorical here. Their arrival didn’t bring much attention, and with countless brats running and gossiping through the halls, it was probably overwhelming for the kid. Looking over his shoulder, he saw Marie looking around while rubbing her elbow.

Logan wondered if it’s a soulmate habit or just a form of comfort.

Looking through and walking down the infinite amount of hallways, Logan realized that he knew no one around. All of the students he grew accustomed to had probably been replaced with new ones. He can’t find any familiar face around the school, other than Jubilee who had some business to do outside. Funny how the mansion hadn’t changed but everyone inside it did.

Based on his very old memory, newbie’s are supposed to have a one-on-one discussion with the Professor, and if his memory serves him right, Chuck’s office ain’t that far away from where he is. Unless he changed office again, he tends to do that for the purpose of ‘easy accessibility’, whatever that shit is.

Climbing up on one of the many staircases within the school and with the kid following him a few spaces back, Logan turned a corner and immediately zeroed in on that familiar crisp clean scent coming out on one of the classrooms, five doors down to be exact. Logan froze and took a good long look at Summers, standing impossibly straight while carrying a laptop. He was wearing a button down shirt tucked in with some black slacks that told Logan his fashion sense was still crap. But other than that, Slim had gotten taller, too tall, with chiselled cheekbones and neatly brushed hair, Logan knew that under those clothes is a well-built body.

Scott looked good, the type if he were to enter a room, heads would turn towards his way. Maybe he’s being biased but Logan’s just stating what he felt was right. Damn the kid aged well.

That feeling of joy bubbling up inside him when he saw Summers for the first time in a while had quickly vanished once Jean walked up to him, wrapping her arms around Scott’s neck, kissing him on the lips and asking how his class went. And just like that Logan knew, it doesn’t take a genius to get the gist.

Logan knew he had fucked up, and there’s no one else to blame but himself.

He wanted to turn around and fucking leave, maybe even barge in on one of the empty rooms and lock himself there. Think this through and wonder if coming back was even worth it. But he just stood on his ground, pretending not to care and to wait until Jean jerked her head towards them, feeling their mental presence before walking up to their spot.

“Logan,” she greeted, smiling beautifully towards him, “It’s so nice to see you again,” she added before slipping her dainty little arms around his midriff for a hug. Logan grunted in response and lightly hugged her back.

Scott managed to only give Logan one of those professional nods, the type he uses when he’s talking to the police or anyone with high authority. There was nothing friendly nor special about it, it was just a practiced tip of the head and Logan thought that this was fine, he could work with this. He knew they were both aware of that certain night, it was just by mutual understanding that it’s best to be ignored.

“And you must be?” Jean asked, eyes landing on the person behind Logan, who was standing quietly while watching the interaction happen in front of her.

“Rogue,” she replied.

“Jean Grey,” she said, extending her right hand between them.

Marie only stared down at it, and based on the anxious clenching of her hand, Logan guessed that she’s still scared of touching someone even though most of her skin was covered up. When Marie didn’t do anything, it was obvious that Jean’s starting to feel embarrassed with her hand outstretched like that.

“Ah-I—” the kid stuttered.

The soft smile that crept up on Jean’s lips told Logan that she did a quick skim inside her head, “No, no,” she said softly, “I understand, don’t worry, you don’t have to beat yourself up over it,” taking a quick glance at her wrist, Jean bit her lip and looked up, “As much as I’m glad to see you both here, I have a class in five,” she said apologetically, “I guess catching up will be for later, yes? Honey, is it okay if you…?”

Scott smiled at her, and Logan found himself looking down at his pair of boots, “Go, I got this,” he said before kissing her cheek as she left.

Logan was able to notice his tight grip on his duffle bag and claws threatening to come out, so he flexed his fingers before it could happen.

“My name’s Scott Summers,” Scott told obviously to the kid, Logan was still staring anywhere but his face, “I’m a teacher here and the leader of the X-Men, I believe you’re here for the Professor? He’s currently teaching a class,” he informed them, “If you like, I could give you a tour around first?”

Logan can perfectly say Scott grew up, grew up into a more boring stick-up ass boy scout than he was when he was still a kid. Damn this guy needs to learn how to relax.

“No-no, ah’m fine,” Marie replied, holding both of her hands up between them, “Ah can wait,”

“I see,” he said, “Logan?” he called, the tone in his voice told him that he won’t continue unless the older man stared back at him, so Logan did. And yep, that’s fucking yearning he’s feeling, he’s not even going to deny it, “There’s a free room at the west wing, third floor. You can use that if you’re planning to stay here.”

Logan said nothing nor did anything but looked away, they both knew he’ll take the room anyway. Scott can understand him even without communication, this was one of the things that Logan doesn’t have to worry about.

Marie gave him a look, suddenly taking notice of something, “Why are you suddenly silent?” she asked which Logan ignored, not because he didn’t want to answer that (which actually _is_ one of the reasons) but because Scott’s here. Opening his mouth and uttering words was hard around him, still is.

“He doesn’t talk when I’m around,” was Scott’s unwanted answer, “Most of us are aware of this by now, you should be too.”

It took her a second, a second to put two and two together, “Oh…” she started, Logan could smell it, the realization that was slowly dawning on her, “ _Oh_ ,” her voice went a note higher and Logan shot her a glare, warning not to continue whatever she plan on saying.

Not wanting to stay any longer, Logan turned around and marched towards the west wing. Slim can go handle her, she’s not his problem anymore, his only job was to bring her here. He can go and talk to the Professor later, for now, he just wanted to lock himself in an empty room, and stare at the ceiling.

* * *

Logan found himself staying, although he doesn’t know how long for. He plans to be here for a while, a very long while. All that time on the road felt like he wasn’t living at all, besides, he thought he had enough of running away, it’s time for him to stop being such a chicken because that’s not him nor it will do anything good. But that doesn’t mean he’ll start doing something _now_. Logan’s not a man of patience, but he’s not going to talk to Scott just yet.

That would be a dick move.

Logan noticed himself back on the team and found out that some of the members come and go. There’s this new kid, Kitty, smart and pretty much has the ability to pass through anything. The first time he trained with her, Logan was amazed at how she could control her mutation quite well, frankly. Freaky but nice. There’s also this guy called Drake who could turn into ice, Logan heard he likes pranking people, most importantly Scott (he doesn’t blame him). One look and Logan had this huge hunch that the guy was having a sexual identity crisis, not that he’s going to do shit for that.

Kurt’s recently back on the team, something about him achieving priesthood but everything was actually an illusion, Logan tried not to question the story behind that. Something told him it’s the kind where heavy drama had to partake in it. He’s not really looking forward to listening to that. Sure that sucks, but he would rather have a beer in his hand.

To Logan’s immense joy (that nobody noticed), Tweety Bird’s only a recurring team member, due to his duties for the family business, he rarely comes and usually goes from the team. Meaning his chances of ever seeing that handsome annoying bionic looking angel was on a lower percentage. Finally, some fucking good news.

“That’s Piotr,” Jubilee pointed at the huge guy sitting beside Kitty who was blowing her gum until it popped, “Kitty’s possible boyfriend,”

“Possible?” Logan asked, arching an eyebrow.

“Everyone already had their money that they’re fucking,” she replied with a shrug.

“Ya just reminded me that privacy ain’t possible in this damn school,”

Logan saw Munroe a few weeks later with Peter after a long mission in Omaha, her long pristine white hair looks good against her skin, she looked like a goddess, graceful and all that. According to Peter, she might as well be after her little duel with this one eyed chick named Callisto, apparently, Storm became this some sort of queen to the Morlocks after winning. No offense to Kurt, but that’s the kind of story he’d like to listen to.

Peter’s little problem back then with Erik had long been over, currently their relationship’s almost nothing but being professional to each other. Erik does consider Peter as his kin, but he had other agendas that needed his attention more. Peter’s an adult, he could understand why their relationship can’t be anything much more than that.

A lot had changed over the years he was gone, major events had happened without his presence, relationships blossomed and died that he was glad not to witness. Whoever this Forge guy is, he does not want to ask him for any relationship advice if he fell in love with Mystique.

“Ororo’s ztill bitter about it,” Kurt informed him on one of their nightly drinking, “Never zay his name around her.”

“Noted,” Logan replied with a grunt before downing his Moosehead in one go.

Logan slowly found his way going back into his old routines back when he was still a resident in the mansion, one of which was still being able to spar with Scott even after leaving the guy after a heated night and not showing his damn face for years. Logan didn’t know if the guy was still bitter over it or decided to put the past behind him because he can’t smell _anything_. No anger, no anxiousness, just the plain crisp clean smell he always has.

Logan wasn’t expecting to have that kind of luxury anymore, he wasn’t the one who invited him for a spar that day. Scott did. Logan was lying down on his bed while reading a newly purchased magazine about vehicles when Scott gave a knock on his already open door.

He looked up and saw the boy scout leaning on the doorframe, “Care for a spar?” he asked so casually, “Like old times?”

And who was Logan to deny the invitation?

Like usual, they never talk, never uttered a single word around each other (mainly, more on Logan’s part) the whole time they were in the Danger Room. It was as if they were completely erasing the fact that they fucked. It’s not like Scott was giving him the cold shoulder either, they never became friends to begin with, but he’s also putting up this invisible wall between them. Logan doesn’t have the vocabulary to explain what kind of relationship they have, but it’s almost close to being professional, _almost_.

It was different than before. Before, Logan could sense that he could have more if he at least gave an effort, now, it felt as if having more than that’s utterly impossible. A more understandable translation to that is _’Ya lost yer chance jerk, now and get shit faced’_. And that he usually did.

Nobody asked him why he left, nobody questioned the reason for his departure, even Scott himself wasn’t inclined to know the reason. Logan liked the privacy they gave him, but deep down, he wanted to shake Scott and yell at him to at least show that he’s furious. It seemed stupid and very much not like him, but with Slim not giving a shit about it made it look like there really was nothing between them.

But he can’t complain, he knew he was the jerk. Scott even giving him the time of day should be such a gift after what he’d done.

“Why aren’t you doing anythin’? At least say something’ for once,” Marie pestered him one afternoon after her little one-on-one session with the Professor. Logan unintentionally found himself spending some time with her, mainly because he’s one of the few familiar faces she knew around here.

“Why don’t’cha shut up?” Logan suggested instead.

Marie was unfazed, “Bite me,” she frowned before continuing on pestering him. Kids these days really don’t know how to mind their own business.

Here’s the thing, Scott and Jean’s relationship is great, perfect even. They could get married and Logan wouldn’t be surprised. Sure he’ll feel like heaven and earth fucked him up real bad but that’s not the point. Scott’s habit of closing himself off from everyone and repressing traumatic memories rather than face them head on is one of his major flaws. Jeanie’s one of the few people who _can_ understand him and actually tries to make an effort.

He’s not talking utter bullshit here, Logan saw it with his own two working eyes.

“You’re doing it again,” Marie told him one afternoon when Logan was watching those two lovebirds teach the kids some activity that was meant for outdoors.

“Doing what?” Logan asked, opening another can of deer and scooting at the other side of the bench for the kid to sit on.

“Ah have eyes, Logan,” She stated, “Ah ain’t blind not to notice.”

Logan let out an annoyed grunt, “Kid, if yer gonna talk to me about that, I would rather drive the Blackbird then shoot myself in the head with an adamantium bullet,” he said before standing up and grabbing his ice bucket that was once filled with beer and ice.

Sometimes he wondered if it was a bad idea to tell the kid about his unsolved situation. But the fact that somebody other than himself was aware that, yes, he and Scott have words written on their skin that ties their soul together is true and is still a continuing problem proves that it’s real, not some sort of hallucination Logan conjured while being on the road and drinking nothing but beer or even stronger for too long.

“Why are you ignoring this?” She yelled back at him when Logan reached a reasonable distance away from her, “Ah don’t get it.”

Logan turned and wanted to say ‘me neither’ but Scott was suddenly looking towards their way, face blank as usual, watching them from afar, probably hearing the sudden commotion this kid was making. So he turned back and walked towards the mansion.

The longer Logan ignored Marie’s questions, the less she continued to disturb him, but that doesn’t mean it didn’t go on for weeks, probably even months. Logan was back unintentionally being Scott’s right hand man on every mission to no one’s surprise. And even when it was a solo, he would always tag along with Scott and no one could tell him no. The only difference was, he’s not as difficult as before. It was a surprise for most, okay to be honest for everyone. Sure he doesn’t follow Scott’s orders to the bone, but at least he’d stop jeopardizing the plan just because he can.

Logan’s not going to lie, Slim has a big brain for planning strategy, even better than before. He has back-up plans after back-up plans and his brain never stops at calculating the risks of one's action in a mission. It’s like he was built for this type of job and Logan finds it admirable, then gags because he can’t believe he just used that word to Scott out of all of the people.

The first time Logan decided not to be an ass, Scott had stood deathly still for a few seconds before managing to pull himself together. The reaction was enough to make Logan feel good for the rest of the day, until he had to watch the two lovebirds spend time together at the garden.

Logan drowned himself with the Professor’s wine collection later that day. Hank was not pleased.

It was probably after smelling Jean with Scott’s scent the next morning that Logan realized that this sucked. That he would rather have the time where Scott was his roommate who had wet-dreams and dealt with hard-ons by waiting for it to go down. He wanted to get used to this, that maybe someday watching them from behind would be enough, he just doesn’t know when that’ll be.

Marie had stopped asking him, instead, whenever she saw Logan watching, she’s ready to thrust a beer in front of his face and tell him that Kurt bought him his favourite drink.

“Scott has a soulmate, did you know that?” Jubilee told him while they were playing billiards like old times.

“And yer telling me because?”

“To get you informed?” she replied, hopping down from the table because it’s her turn, “Apparently he hasn’t met them yet,”

Logan snorted, then suddenly noticed Jubilee giving him this look because, oh right, he’s supposed to be _not_ aware about it, “Why’s he dating Jeanie then?”

She shrugged and leaned forward, aiming for the number five ball, her left eye was closed as she bit the side of her lower lip. She took her shot and scored, “I have a hunch, but I’m not sure,” she answered, “Some are betting that his words are either a sham or _dysfunctional_.”

Logan stilled, “What?”

“Well, you’ve gotta consider, Wolvie,” she started, bounding on one of those high stools to take a sit on, “One out of a hundred with soulmates doesn't get to meet their pair. And how long has it been since Scott got his words?” Jubilee was making a valid point, only if it weren’t for the fact that Logan was Scott’s fucking soulmate.

“Does Slim believe this?” he asked, ignoring the nickname because, to his surprise, it’s not that bad

She tipped her head at the side, “I dunno, he never really said anything. Not like he talks about this topic all the time,” she leaned back and shrugged using one of her shoulders, “But he’s dating Jean right?”

That got him thinking for quite a while.

* * *

Logan didn’t know how long he’d been standing on the balcony, smoking cigarettes and drinking beer just to pass time. He found himself finding it hard to sleep as of late, and there’s a better reason for that. He wondered if coming back after this long was actually a smart idea, not when he left things just like that. He’s been back here for quite a while, and still no one seems to ask him why he left, which Logan considers as a win.

He felt someone joining him, that familiar scent told Logan who it was exactly, and he would be lying if he didn’t want his presence here.

“You can’t smoke that here,” Scott informed him. Per usual, Logan ignored him and puffed out a huge breath while leaning both elbows down on the railing. He felt the younger mutant standing next to him, as if trying to give him some company.

Logan scoffed.

“How are you adjusting?” he asked, head turning towards him, and for moment Logan heard the sincerity in his voice, that maybe Scott really wanted to know how he was adjusting, that maybe these past few months wasn’t putting him on edge, not when Scott’s new relationship with Jean was like a fucking reminder to him that he messed up real bad.

Being the big jerk he was, just after receiving a little gesture like this, Logan found himself leaning forward to kiss Scott. There was a brief moment where their lips met, but then instantly he found himself getting punched on the left side of his face with full force. There was no resistance or hesitation, it was a full blown attack and Logan could feel that it was in Scott’s intention to make it hurt that way.

Logan staggered backwards and found that Scott was glaring at him, hands gripped into a tight fist, his lips formed into a thin and dangerous line, “I am not like that.” he said, voice levelled but Logan knew he was pissed, he had’t seen this reaction for quite a while.

It wasn’t said, but Logan could hear Scott’s unsaid words, words that were at the tip of his tongue, wanting to tell him that he’s not that inexperienced kid anymore, he can’t be swayed with some cheap gesture from him. He’s not looking for a simple hook up with no strings attached, he’s not that kind of guy. Especially not the type to fool around with other people when he’s in a decent relationship himself.

Then without any additional words, Scott turned around and marched away.

Logan didn’t let himself watch as Scott got farther away from him, instead, he returned to his spot and felt the burn on the side of his face vanish immediately.

“Asshole,” he told himself.

Rubbing his face, Logan made a decision.

* * *

Scott was the first to receive the news that Warren’s back for the weekend, he came for two reasons, first; to inform the Professor about the new probable mission if the issue about the family company still continues and second; to take a break. The first thing he did was to unclip his wings and soar to the skies like he was born to do it. Scott didn’t like how Warren had to hide his wings when it looked so magnificent out in the open. He almost looked like a real angel. Well he did manage to pretend as one on a very particular event.

It was way past bedtime (is what Peter usually said when he’s up at night but not grading papers) and most of the adults were lounging by the den, catching up and discussing their lives. Warren was pretty chatty and was telling them all sorts of stories, some were quite questionable if it were true or just rather over dramatic.

To be honest, Scott wasn’t expecting Logan to join them, true he was sulking and obviously didn’t want to stay much longer, but it was strange how he joined in the first place. No one seemed to notice it as an odd behavior but Scott, considering that most of the team has been aware about his little teenage crush back then, he didn’t want to point it out, especially with Peter here.

Logan was quite… spontaneous? Was that the word he’s supposed to use? He had something much harsher but that’s just him and his emotional range stepping over boundaries. Scott didn’t know what to make of the guy, one minute he felt like Logan was trying to be considerate of anything that’s been happening around, not being a total hard ass on missions, haven’t been bugging him nor trying to rile him up like the old times, then the next he just up and kissed him on the balcony just when Scott was trying to make a friendly conversation.

Granted, Logan might’ve thought he was giving him signals that kissing him would be okay considering how Logan left things between them back then. To be honest, Scott just wanted to put that certain issue behind them, it has been more than a decade since it happened and it’s not like Scott’s still being bitter over it.

Logan hadn’t shown any single sign regarding to that subject, so it gave Scott the impression that the two of them had already moved passed it.

Apparently he was wrong on that.

Punching Logan on the face was the nicest thing he did. What was the guy expecting to have from him? He left, just when Scott expected for something to happen between them, he was gone the very next day. So he moved on and found Jean, who had been by his side, who understands him, who _knows_ him. She was more than Scott could have and right now he's happy being with her.

Granted he still has a soulmate to consider, but it was thoroughly discussed between them that if ever the time comes, they’ll still stay as friends. Scott loves her too much to lose her, and he’s sure that Jean thinks the same.

It’s not like their relationship was a secret for Logan not to notice, it’s out in the open and every student knows about it. What was Logan expecting him to do? Did he honestly think Scott would cheat for him? Do those things behind Jean’s back? Was he just someone he comes to so he could have a nice time whenever he wants? Was he trying to pick up where he left off, Scott’s going to be honest here, he’s doing a bad job at it.

Scott’s not that type of guy.

And maybe he was guilty that he knew Logan’s intention a little too early, that he could’ve avoided his mouth and turned his head the other way. But no. He waited, and let it happen for a microsecond. And he was mad at himself for that.

He’s not playing this game with Logan anymore, he’s no longer nineteen.

Scott was adamant to close Logan off completely, the only reason why he didn’t was because Logan did it to him instead. Not the type of closing off completely like what Scott planned to, but Logan started to distance himself. And maybe he just realized it just now when Logan had stopped doing it, but he seemed to be waiting before. Now, he just decided to watch from behind.

And that threw Scott off completely. To be honest he didn’t know what he should think of Logan anymore.

Out of the blue, Logan stood up from his place and picked up the ice bucket, that was once filled with beer, and walked out of the room, probably to refill it. Scott only watched as he left, he caught himself a second too late when he noticed Jean was staring up at him, giving him this look with one of her eyebrows raised and her mouth close to a smirk.

“I’m not nineteen anymore, Jean,” he told her before kissing her temples, “Besides, I have you,”

Jean only let out a light laugh before snuggling closer beside him on a one-seater sofa.

"Before I forgot, and while he’s still not here,” Peter suddenly said, standing up and outstretching his hand to everyone, “A lot of you lost the bet, pay up.”

Warren and a few other started pulling out their pocket money, “For the record, it wasn’t obvious,” he said, handing over twenty bucks on the speedster’s hand.

Peter did a raspberry, “It’s obvious,”

“No it wasn’t,” Ororo disagreed, also handing twenty bucks.

“Still it’s veird,” Kurt commented from his place, “How come almost none of us knew?”

“He’s pretty vocal about Scott,” Jubilee supplied with a shrug, “So maybe we thought he’s also vocal around him?” she answered that sounded more like a question, “To be honest I didn’t know until Scott said it, then I remembered how he never really talk around him or hang around the room when he joins,”

“Yeah, but they go together on zolo missions,” Kurt pointed out.

Peter scoffed, “Together on solo missions,” he said as if it was a joke while pocketing the money he received, “Such irony,” before adding, “You think the reason why—”

“No, I just really don’t want to talk,” Logan answered, arriving with a filled up ice bucket, placing it beside the chair Kurt was occupying, “Not that it’s anyone’s business,” then he left, leaving everyone staring at the entryway before looking back at Scott.

Behind the ruby quartz glasses, his eyes had widened because for the first time, and not through some garbled footage, Scott was able to hear Logan’s voice. Oddly, it sent a shiver down his spine.

**Author's Note:**

> KUDOS and COMMENTS are very appreciated


End file.
